INCREASING ILLNESS OF CAPT. HARRIES. 59 



we had been favoured with many of these squalls ; 

 and when in soundings, we always anchored and 

 rode them out, or else turned tail and ran round 

 the compass with them under nothing but the 

 fore staysail, with the sheet secured a-midships. 

 With all their inconveniences, they are of the ut- 

 most benefit, as they clear the atmosphere and 

 render it pure and bracing, removing at once the 

 oppressive and noxious vapours with which it is 

 charged. I remember once hearing an old sea- 

 man observe respecting them, " Ay, it 's only 

 ould Nature sneezing ;" and I thought the remark 

 not badly applied. 



Harries was much worse to-day, and still per- 

 sisted in refusing either medicine or advice, from 

 an opinion that starving himself was quite suf- 

 ficient. George Curling, the engineer, became 

 much better and appeared on deck. , 



On the 14th, poor Harries became still worse, 

 and at length submitted to have a blister ap- 

 plied on the back of his head. This was done 

 by Dr. Briggs, who also prescribed for him. I 

 did not consider him in any danger ; but from 

 some conversation we had together I found that 

 he, poor fellow ! thought otherwise, and for the 

 first time in the voyage I was affected at the 



