EMIGRATION, OR 



their prevalence is a strong reason why the voyage out 

 should not be undertaken at this season, and that this 

 period, or a little earlier, is often chosen to return to Eng 

 land. Appearances indicated an approach to the New 

 World, and like similar circumstances to Columbus filled us 

 with hope. Great quantities of sea or gulph-weed floated 

 past us, and on the 4th December we were in latitude 

 34 : 35, and southed a degree. Beautiful April-like weather, 

 thermometer 71 in the shade, and 73 in the water; some 

 times some light showers, with occasionally lightning in the 

 evenings. The air exhibited a curious appearance, being of 

 a yellowish red colour, and the clouds of a cinerous blue, 

 which were in a thousand fantastic and singular forms, the 

 sailors called them snow-clouds. Saw a number of flying 1 

 fish pursued by a dolphin, and also numerous beautiful 

 coloured nautilus or &quot; men of war,&quot; with their sails ex 

 panded to the breeze, blown swiftly over the undulating 

 waves. My bottled porter was excellent, and of great ser 

 vice now I have recovered from the sea-sickness ; saw no 

 more gulph-weed. We had now crossed the back stream, 

 and were between the two ; it runs down the eastern coast 

 of America, across the banks of Newfoundland, round the 

 Western Isles, and along the coast of Africa. 



Dec. 6. Squally again of late. Getting near the gulph- 

 stream, which makes it warm, and great quantities of the 

 gulph, or sea-weed is seen again ; it nearly covers the sur 

 face of the water in some places, and in others it is extended 

 for miles in parallel lines, north-east and south-west; I 

 should suppose drifted from the side of the stream, which 

 runs in that direction in this part. 



Dec. 10. Getting too far south, through the prevalence 

 of north-west winds ; latitude 33 : 30, thermometer 65 in 

 the air, and 72 in the water. A shark ten or twelve feet in 

 length came alongside the vessel, and a number of gram 

 puses were seen at a distance. Fine weather, and would be 

 delightful if on shore, and not altogether otherwise here. 



Dec. 12. Light wind, and smooth sea ; clear, bright, 

 warm day. Two dolphins came swimming about the vessel, 

 one of which the captain struck with a fish-spear, and suc 

 ceeded in getting it on board ; they all said it was the 

 largest they had ever seen, six feet seven and a half inches 

 in length, and I should suppose weighed three quarters of a 

 cwt. or more. 



