1832.] SEA-SICKNESS. 22/ 



the Bay of Biscay there was a long and continuous swell, and 

 the misery I endured from sea-sickness is far beyond what I 

 ever guessed at. I believe you are curious about it. I will 

 give you all my dear-bought experience. Nobody who has 

 only been to sea for twenty-four hours has a right to say that 

 sea-sickness is even uncomfortable. The real misery only 

 begins when you are so exhausted that a little exertion makes 

 a feeling of faintness come on. I found nothing but lying in 

 my hammock did me any good. I must especially except 

 your receipt of raisins, which is the only food that the stomach 

 will bear. 



On the 4th of January we were not many miles from 

 Madeira, but as there was a heavy sea running, and the 

 island lay to windward, it was not thought worth while to 

 beat up to it. It afterwards has turned out it was lucky we 

 saved ourselves the trouble. I was much too sick even to get 

 up to see the distant outline. On the 6th, in the evening, we 

 sailed into the harbour of Santa Cruz. I now first felt even 

 moderately well, and I was picturing to myself all the delights 

 of fresh fruit growing in beautiful valleys, and reading Hum- 

 boldt's descriptions of the island's glorious views, when perhaps 

 you may nearly guess at our disappointment, when a small 

 pale man informed us we must perform a strict quarantine of 

 twelve days. There was a death-like stillness in the ship till 

 the Captain cried " up jib," and we left this long-wished for 

 place. 



We were becalmed for a day between Teneriffe and the 

 Grand Canary, and here I first experienced any enjoyment. 

 The view was glorious. The Peak of Teneriffe was seen 

 amongst the clouds like another world. Our only drawback 

 was the extreme wish of visiting this glorious island. Tell 

 Eyton never to forget either the Canary Islands or South 

 America; that I am sure it will well repay the necessary 

 trouble, but that he must make up his mind to find a good 

 deal of the latter. I feel certain he will regret it if he does 



VOL. I. R 



