Life and Character of Nathaniel Bowditch. 7 
in particular, were very zealously disputing, one of them calling 
out to the other, “‘ Well, Jack, what have you got?” “ I’ve got 
the sine,” was the answer. “ But thatus’t right,” said the other. 
“ TI say it is the cosine.” 
Captain Prince says, that although Mr. Bowditch had such a 
thorough knowledge of navigation, he knew but little about what 
is technically called seamanship. He also mentions the fact, 
which he had often heard him repeat, that although, in his youth, 
he had long lived in the vicinity of the ship-yards, he had never 
seen a launch ; and rather scouted the idea that such a sight, or 
any thing like it, should be able to draw him away from his 
books. Captain Prince likewise testifies that during the whole 
course of these four voyages, he does not recollect the slightest 
interruption of harmony and good feeling between them. 
am happy to be able to corroborate the statements of Captain 
Prince, by the testimony of an officer in-our navy, who sailed in 
the Astraea the two last voyages to Alicant and Batavia. Ina let- 
ter recently written, after speaking in terms of the warmest grati- 
tude of the kindness and attention with which Mr. Bowditch 
treated him, when a poor sea-sick oes and ee 
self in all the sailors on board, ne ‘to ta x pains to instruct all 
who could read and write, in the principles of navigation. The 
consequence of this was, that every one of a crew of twelve men, 
who could read and. write, subsequently rose to the rank of cap- 
tain or chief mate of a ship. Indeed, at Salem, it was consid- 
ered the highest recommendation of a seaman, that he had sailed 
in the same 2 with Mr. Bowditch, and this circumstance alone 
ient t for flice 
same ship on the previous voyage. ~ He also Percaks of Mr. Bow- 
" ditch’s urbane and gentlemanly deportment to every one on board, 
and says that he never appeared so happy as when he could in- 
spire the sailor with a proper sense of his individual importance, 
and of the talents he possessed, and might call into action. 
Some idea of the extent to which ee of navigation 
