26 BENEFITS OF CHEERFULNESS. 
seated on a gun-carriage instead of a shell, drawn 
by negroes, as substitutes for Tritons. In the 
evening, the sailors represented, amidst general 
applause, a comedy of their own composition. 
These sports, while they serve to keep up the 
spirits of the men, and make them forget the 
difficulties they have to go through, produce 
also the most beneficial influence upon their 
health ; a cheerful man being much more capa- 
ble of resisting a fit of sickness than a melan- 
choly one. It is the duty of commanders to 
use every innocent means of maintaining this 
temper in their crews; for in long voyages, 
when they are several months together wander- 
ing on an element not destined by nature for 
the residence of man, without enjoying even 
occasionally the recreations of the land, the mind 
naturally tends to melancholy, which of itself 
lays the foundation of many diseases, and some- 
times even of insanity. Diversion is often the 
best medicine, and, used as a preservative, sel- 
dom fails of its effect. 
Below the Equator, we met with a fresh 
south-east wind, and having also fine weather, 
we soon reached the coast of Brazil. 
