Nov.] 



CONVALESCENCE — TRISTAN D'ACUNHA. 



351 



was her desire, until my return to New-York. She thanked me sweetly 

 for this assurance, and said if her body could only be kept from the 

 monsters of the deep, she cared not on what distant shore it was 

 buried. I repeated my promise, which acted like a charm on her 

 drooping spirits, and wonderfully revived her languishing frame. At 

 her own earnest request, I now left her, to look to the sick officers 

 and seamen, and administer such medicines and refreshments as their 

 circumstances required. 



Nov. 12th. — On Thursday, the 12th, I found, to my unspeakable 

 joy, that the fever had left my wife, and all the seamen, with the ex- 

 ception of George Strong, and the first officer, Mr. Moses Hunt, who 

 were still lying very low, and not expected to live. 



Nov. 14th. — On Saturday, the 14th, however, I had the satisfaction 

 of seeing the Antarctic entirely free from the disease, though many of 

 its inmates were much debilitated. If ever an ejaculation of heartfelt 

 thanksgiving ascended from human lips to the throne of Divine Mercy, 

 it was on that day. The convalescent seamen now began to evince 

 the welcome symptoms of returning appetites, which was also the case 

 with my wife, in whose eyes I could perceive a faint dawning of their 

 former brilliancy. We had now been five weeks on the ocean, and the 

 condition of the invalids on board made it very desirable to touch 

 at some port and procure refreshments. The islands of Tristan 

 d'Acunha being near at hand, I resolved to make them as soon as possible. 

 We were now in latitude 36° 2' south, long. 14° 22, west, with the 

 wind from south-south-west ; atmosphere hazy. 



Nov. 15th. — Accordingly, the next day, which was Sunday, the 15th, 

 at 4 P. M., saw the Antarctic close in with the north side of the largest 

 island of the three, about half a mile from the shore, with fine weather, 

 and a moderate breeze from south-west. Here we lay off and on, 

 until we had taken on board a large supply of refreshments, including 

 live-stock, such as sheep, pigs, poultry, &c, with a variety of vegetables, 

 which were of great value to us in our present situation, and assisted 

 much in restoring our invalids to health. We found only seven families 

 on this island, living a retired life, far from the bustle and confusion of 

 the world, and happy within themselves, having at their command all 

 the necessaries and many of the comforts of life. 



