MADEIRA. 
much better to keep to the southward, as the wind will be found 
more steady and stronger. Besides, the current, at that season of 
the year, sets to the westward. 
As we passed St. Michael's, we amused ourselves by a view, 
through our glasses, of its villas, groves, and cultivated fields. 
On the night of the 13th we laid by, just after passing the north 
end of St. Michael's, in order to examine the position of the Tullock 
Reef by daylight. We passed within a mile and a half of its 
reported position, but saw nothing of it, although the sea was 
running sufficiently high to have made a heavy break on it, if it 
did exist. 
On the 15th, as we were making sail, George Porter, one of our 
maintop-men, in loosing the top-gallant sail, was caught by the 
buntline, and dragged over the yard, where he was seen to hang, as 
it were quite lifeless, swinging to and fro by the neck. 
On the alarm being given, two men ran aloft to his assistance. It 
now became doubtful on deck whether they would not be all dragged 
over by the weight of his body, until several others gave assistance 
and relieved them. It caused a breathless anxiety to us all to see a 
fellow-being in the momentary expectation that he woidd be dashed 
to the deck. He was fortunately rescued and brought below yet 
living. Here he speedily came to his senses, and recollecting that 
the drum had rolled to grog just before his accident, he, sailor-like, 
asked for his portion of it. It was truly a providential escape. 
This young man died on our way home in the China Seas, of an 
inflammatory fever. 
On the 16th we made the island of Madeira, and having a strong 
westerly wind, I determined to pass to Funchal, on its southern 
side. This may be done at this season, but vessels bound to that 
port usually prefer going round the eastern point of the island. 
When off the western point of Madeira we experienced a very long 
heavy swell, which gave me an opportunity of trying the velocity of 
the waves, by noting the time the same wave was passing between 
the vessels. The result gave twenty-three miles per hour, but I 
was not altogether satisfied with it. It was difficult to measure the 
correct angle subtended by the Porpoise's masts for the distance, 
on account of the motion of both vessels. The measurement of 
the height of the waves I found still more difficult, and the results 
varied too much to place confidence in them, principally owing to 
each succeeding swell or wave being less than the preceding one. 
