76 



THE NUMA/^ 



who besides his travels, has written a little book 

 on saiUng in the Pacific. We here expected to 

 meet with the regular trade- wind, which does not 

 reach so far south as Valparaiso, but is generally 

 to be found a degree beyond that parallel of lati- 

 tude. Instead of this we have been becalmed 

 three whole days ; the sea as smooth as glass, 

 with a long oily unpleasant swell from the west- 

 ward. The gray clouds prevalent on this coast 

 afford a grateful protection from the rays of the 

 sun, which, in the same latitude on the Atlantic, 

 would be insufferably hot. 



There are only two other passengers, and we 

 have all the after-cabin for swinging our cots, 

 with plenty of room and air. One of our fellow- 

 passengers is an Irishman, going to Lima to 

 enter a merchant's house there as clerk ; and 

 the other is a German, sent on the like adven- 

 ture from Hamburg. The latter is so solemn 



