164 



LETTER XVII. 



ne new year mild and of good promife. Molus and Nep^ 

 tune enraged againjl the youthful deputy of time, Storms 

 and gales repeated. Delight of afociating Hvilh congenial 



friends, A good fhip fear eel y perifhahle at open fea» 

 Accidents and difajlers of the Lord Sheffield, Contrafi 

 hetiueen land/men and feame?i during a florm. Apathy of 



failors regarding the lueather. Their peculiar degrees of 

 comparifcn. Cool replies of an oldjleward. Odd tumbles^ 

 and pojiures of the pajfengers amufing to the failors. ' 

 Dinner feene during a gale. Superjlition and prejudices 

 of Jailors. If/hiflling on hoard fhip. Mother Gary's 

 chicken. Blowing for a wind. Marks of the Lord 

 Sheffield having pajpd the Azores. 



At fea, Jan. 24. 



concluding my former letter, I had 

 pleafed myfelf with the expedationof not com- 

 municating another fentence of woe : indeed 

 I had hoped not to refume my pen upon the 

 face of the reftlefs Atlantic; and that, long 

 ere this, I might have addreffed you from the 

 ifland of Barbadoes ; but, unhappily, nearly 

 four more tedious weeks have been confumed, 

 in ftruggiing againft the united violence of 

 mercilefs winds, and a relentlefs ocean. New-- 



