110 



A VOYAGE TO 



dismal regions we had escaped, it is impossible to de- 

 scribe our satisfaction at the change. We crossed the 

 line in longitude twenty degrees twenty minutes, the 

 breeze continuing to freshen every hour. According 

 to immemorial custom, the usual ceremonies were per- 

 formed on this important occasion, and were produc- 

 tive of much innocent mirth and gart/, but an ac- 

 count of particulars would probably afford no enter- 

 tainment to the reader, as they varied but little from 

 those which have been so repeatedly detailed by voy- 

 agers. We had thus far enjoyed excellent health, 

 even the unpleasant calm we had experienced, occa- 

 sioned no sickness among the crew; owing in a great 

 measure to the cleanliness on board American ships, 

 and the precautions so carefully taken. 



Being now fairly in the trades, our course was hard- 

 ly interrupted for a moment; we had a steady breeze 

 filling all our sails, and a smooth sea. Nothing 

 could be more agreeable than the temperature of the 

 air; the sails required little or no attention, but there 

 w^as no want of employment in this little busy world. 

 I could not have imagined such a variety of occupa- 

 tions as the seamen were continually engaged in. The 

 officers not on duty, spent their time in reading and 

 study, while the midshipmen, fifteen or twenty in 

 number were kept closely to their books. There was 

 no lounging, no idleness, no silly gossipping, no loud 

 talking; and as to intemperance, this is regarded, on 

 board of an American man of war, a vice for which 

 there i^ no forgiveness. The north star gradually 

 disappeared, and its place was imperfectly supplied 

 by the constellation of the cross, and the Magellanic 

 clouds. The constellations of the southern hemis- 



