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December 1. (Monday.) 

 Here we are, still riding at anchor, with no 

 better consolation than that of Klopstock's half- 

 devil Abadonna; the consciousness that others are 

 deeper damned than ourselves. Another ship be- 

 longing to the same proprietor left the West India 

 Docks three weeks before us, and here she is still 

 rocking cheek by jowl alongside of us, 



<f One writ with us in sour misfortune's book." 



December 3. 

 A tolerably fair breeze at length enabled us to 

 set sail once more. 



December 24. (Wednesday.) 

 I had often heard talk of " a hell upon earth/* 

 and now I have a perfect idea of " a hell upon 

 water." It must be precisely our vessel during the 

 last three weeks. At twelve at noon upon the 4th, 

 we passed Plymouth, and were actually in sight 

 of the Lizard point, when the wind suddenly be- 

 came completely foul, and drove us back into the 

 Channel. It continued to strengthen gradually 

 but rapidly; and by the time that night arrived, 

 we had a violent gale, which blew incessantly till 

 the middle of Sunday, the 7th, when we were glad 

 to find ourselves once more in sight of Plymouth, 

 and took advantage of a temporary abatement of 

 the wind to seek refuge in the Sound. Here, 



