310 



1817. 



November 5. (Wednesday.) 



I left London, and embarked for Jamaica on 

 board the same vessel, commanded by the same 

 captain, which conveyed me thither in 1815. We 

 did not reach the Downs till Sunday, the 9th, after 

 experiencing in our passage a severe gale of wind, 

 which broke the bowsprit of a vessel in our sight, 

 but did no mischief to ourselves. On arriving 

 in the Downs, we found all the flags lowered half 

 way down the masts, which is a signal of mourn- 

 ing ; and we now learnt, that, in a few hours after 

 giving birth to a still-born son, the Princess Char- 

 lotte of Wales had expired at half-past two on 

 Thursday morning. 



November 16. (Sunday.) 



" Peaceful slumbering on the ocean." Here 

 we are still in the Downs, and no symptoms of a 

 probable removal. Indeed, when we weighed our 

 anchor at Gravesend, it gave us a broad hint that 

 there was no occasion as yet for giving ourselves 

 the trouble; for, before it could be got on board, 

 the cable was suffered to slip, and down again went 

 the anchor, carrying along with it one of the men 

 who happened to be standing upon it at the mo- 



