CHAP. II. VOYAGE TO MADAGASCAR. 19 



bell buoy outside, we found ourselves, in le.ss than an hour, 

 in the broad waters of the Indian Ocean. I could not help 

 noticing the comparatively quiet and easy manner in which 

 our little craft put out to sea, so different from tlie activity, 

 animation, and bustle, on board the large and crowded 

 steamer. Our crew was soon mustered, as it consisted only 

 of a very juvenile captain, a mate, four seamen, a cook and a 

 steward, in all eight souls, and ourselves as passengers. Our 

 captain Avas a native of one of the Sechelles, the mate was a 

 Frenchman from Bordeaux, our sailors natives of Mada- 

 gascar, our cook a Frenchman, and the steward a Creole from 

 Mauritius. 



As we proceeded from the land, we found that the wind, 

 though fair, had raised a considerable sea ; and the motion of 

 our little cockle-shell of a vessel was so rapid and violent, as 

 compared vfith. that of the " Indiana," that, though anxious to 

 keep on deck as long as possible, we soon became excessively 

 sea-sick. Indeed, I do not remember, in all my voyages, 

 ever sufifering more from sea-sickness than during the early 

 part of this passage to JNIadagascar. For the two succeeding 

 days, I was scarcely able to leave my berth. In the mean- 

 time our fair wind had died away; and our vessel rolling 

 violently in consequence of having nothing but ballast on 

 board, we scarcely moved through the water a couple of miles 

 in an hour. On the 5th day, towards evening, a light and fa- 

 vourable breeze sprang up, which inspired hopes of reaching 

 our port in a day or two, as the passage seldom occupies more 

 than four or five days : during the night the ship's head was 

 turned northward in a direction parallel vnth. the coast, lest 

 we should prove to be nearer the land than was supposed. 

 But the next morning was calm, and we again lay all day 

 long rolling heavily under a scorching sun, upon a sea as 

 smooth as glass. Land was reported as visible during the 

 day, but at sunset the western horizon, where, if at all, it 



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