"HUNNING A WAI." 217 



of the delights of a land which lies m the track 

 of these genial breezes. 



For myself, I had determined that I would 

 embrace the first opportunity to leave the vessel, 

 as I was heartily tired of the' monotony and dirt 

 of a whaleship, as well as of the ignorance and 

 brutality of those whom I was compelled to own 

 as shipmates in the forecastle. These fellows, who 

 claimed to be sailors because they had contracted 

 all the vices usually, but in many cases erroneously, 

 attributed to seamen, were to me day by day 

 growing more unendurable. I had on several 

 occasions cut off all communications with them, 

 keeping company only with the three Portuguese. 

 It is exceedingly unpleasant to hold such relations 

 to individuals with whom one is thrown in constant 

 contact, and I had already before we sailed into 

 Antcngil Bay, made up my mind that I would at 

 the first favorable chance leave the ship. 



Of course this determination of mine was not 

 hinted to any one else ; although, as is usual in 

 whaleships, the subject of " running away " waa 

 daily discussed in the forecastle. I had learned 

 ere this voyage that " a still tongue makes a wise 

 head," and justly thought that the best way to 

 secure the success of my scheme was to eay 

 nothing about it. 



I had some time since settled the preliminaries 

 in my own mind, and now, as it became certain 

 that we should visit the Seychelles, prepared some 



