FROM GUAHON TO ST. HELENA. 281 



Jiad done me so much injury, and 1 thought my- 

 self very fortunate in having entered the bay in 

 the night. When the storm had at last abated, 

 and I returned to the ship, I found it every where 

 full of sand, and as if crystalized by the salt spray 

 of the water. The barometer never announces a 

 south-east storm here ; on the contrary, fair wea- 

 ther may be expected, for before the violent storm 

 began it was 31°, and during the storm rose to 

 31° 10'. The north-west storm is said, however, 

 to have a great influence on the barometer. 



The 4th. To-day we had again the most beau- 

 tiful weather. I visited the corvette L*Uranie, and 

 M. Freycenet had the politeness to show me all 

 his instruments, and other things worth seeing, 

 among which is a distilling machine, by which sea- 

 water may be converted into water fit for drinking, 

 particularly attracted my attention. This machine, 

 which occupies a space of twenty feet in breadth, 

 and ten in length and height, was in the front part 

 of the lower hold of the ship : in one day it pro- 

 duces fresh water enough to supply one hundred 

 and thirty men for three days, which requires only 

 a very inconsiderable quantity of coals. I had 

 not the pleasure of being introduced to the young 

 Madame Freycenet, who accompanies her husband, 

 and is the first lady who has made a voyage of dis- 

 covery. 



The 5th. To-day, at length, I dined at the 

 seat of Lord Somerset, which is very pretty, and 



