ISLAND OF TENERIFFE. 1Z 
the poor fellow met his death in the waves. 
Our cheerfulness was now perfectly destroyed ; 
and my regret for the accident was increased by 
the fear of the evil impression it might make on 
the minds of the other men.—Sailors are seldom 
free from superstition, and if mine should con- 
sider this misfortune as a bad omen, it might 
become such in reality by casting down the spi- 
rits so essential in a long and perhaps dange- 
rous voyage. A crew tormenting itself with 
idle fears will never lend that ready obedience 
to a commander which is necessary for its own 
preservation. The messmates of the unfortu- 
nate man continued to gaze mournfully towards 
the spot where he had sunk, till the sight of land, 
as we sailed about noon past the small rocky is- 
land of Salvages, seemed to divert their thoughts 
from the occurrence; their former cheerfulness 
gradually returned, and my apprehensions sub- 
sided. 
This evening the island of Teneriffe became 
perceptible amidst the mist and clouds which 
veiled its heights. During the night we reach- 
ed the high black rocks of lava which form its 
northern points; and at break of day I deter- 
