Sept.] A PASSENGER— THE EMBARKATION. 33a 



united in endeavouring to dissuade my wife from her resolution of ac- 

 companying me on this long and perilous voyage. They renewed 

 the subject morning, noon, and night, but all to no purpose. She was 

 still determined to go with me, wherever I went, unless I perempto- 

 rily and absolutely forbade her ; the consequence of which she said 

 would be, that she should never more see me, feeling it impossible to 

 survive until I returned. 



For the week before I gave my final consent, she could neither 

 sleep nor eat ; but bathed her pillow with tears at night, and drooped 

 all day like a fading lily. I now became alarmed for her health ; it 

 evidently appearing that my further opposition to her wishes would be 

 fatal to her happiness, if not to her life. I therefore told her, only 

 two days before we sailed, that I would yield to her wishes, if she 

 would agree to the restrictions that had been pointed out : viz. that 

 she must expect no attentions from me when duty called me on deck ; 

 that she must never blame me, if things were not agreeable or plea- 

 sant, at all times, during the voyage ; and that she must not expect 

 that there would be any extra living on board the Antarctic on her 

 account. She threw herself on my bosom, and for some moments 

 could only thank me with her tears. At length she feebly articu- 

 lated, "You shall see, Benjamin — you shall see." 



From this moment her health began to improve ; while her pallid, 

 death-like countenance changed into the picture of happiness, and 

 soon exhibited the bloom of the rose. All her former cheerfulness 

 and vivacity returned ; and when I chanced to be present when she 

 was busily engaged in making her preparations for the voyage, she 

 would often repeat the exclamation, "Oh, Benjamin, how happy you 

 have made me !" 



The various scenes of final leave-taking I shall leave to the reader's 

 imagination ; for I fear that I have already trespassed too much on 

 his patience with matters that merely concern myself — subjects sel- 

 dom interwoven with the coarse fabric of a seaman's journal. Bui 

 though " Columbia's tars have hearts of oak," they sometimes soften 

 in the warm rays of affection. 



It was on Wednesday, the second day of September, 1829, at 

 eleven, A. M., that I handed my wife on to the deck of the Antarctic, 

 which was just getting under way, with the pilot on board. We 

 were attended by several of our friends, who proposed accompanying 

 us to Sandy Hook, and returning in the pilot-boat : viz. my worthy friend 

 Mr. Edwin Bergh, and his father-in-law Mr. Geer, Captain Mitchell, 

 Mr. Bogert, Mr. Keeler, and Mr. John Wood, the son of my uncle 

 Captain Thomas Wood. 



At one, P. M., we passed the Battery, with a moderate breeze from 

 the south-west, and fair weather. At five, P. M., my friends all took 

 their leave, and after wishing us a prosperous voyage and a safe 

 return, they went on board the pilot-boat Thomas H. Smith, of New- 

 York. Before they squared away for the city, however, they greeted 

 us with three hearty cheers ; which were duly honoured by our noble 

 tars, with six loud and animating responses. 



It may not be improper in this place to remark, that the Antarctic, 



Y2 



