177 Remarks on the Marine Barometer, [April 



nearest towards the east was Bencoolen, which, on account of the 

 se.ison of the year, was difficult of approach, and incapable of 

 alfordino' the relief we stood in need of. Towards the west was the 

 Isle of France, then in possession of the French. To proceed direct 

 to the Cape was an undertaking: which, at the first blush of our 

 situation, nobody conceived to be practicable. Still, upon a closer 

 inspection of our resources, many difficulties were obviated, and 

 oiH- situation appeared to be far less desperate than we had at first 

 ini >9'ned. Our stock of water and salt provisions, which was con- 

 sider. »l>le, was happily found to be uninjured : we had rice and 

 spirits in abunda.'Ce. Our spare stock of spars, which was also 

 considerable, and well secured before the storm commenced, was 

 saf<* ; we had spue sails, canvass, and cordage sufficient, and wr 

 knew onr situ: tion to be on the vero^e of the south-east trade- wind, 

 wViich blew direct towards the Cape, and the season for enterino^ 

 Table Bay was favorable. After due deliberation at a meetinjj^ of 

 the offic-ers of the ship, and the principal passenp^ers, it was unani- 

 mouslv resolved to undertake the voyag-e to the Cape; and, as an 

 encouragement to the crew to give their spontaneous exertions in 

 favor of this great undertaking, a subscription was in)mediately en- 

 tered into, with a view to replace their chests, clothes, &c. which 

 were lost in the storm. Seven hundred pounds were raised for this 

 purpose in the course of a few minutes, (perhaps an unprecedented 

 act of liberality,) which was no sooner communicated to the crew, 

 than they gave three hearty cheers, and declared their readiness to 

 perform every duty required of thfm ; and never was a promise 

 more strictly fulfilled : however, in spite of these but seldom 

 paralleled exertions, we were eleven weeks in reaching the destined 

 port, after suffering many privations. Still I consider this as one 

 of the happiest periods of my life ; and judging from the number 

 of cheerful count nances, and the unanimity which reigned through- 

 out the ship, I much doubt whether it were not the lot of every 

 soul on board. 



1 cannot account for the fact, unless it was owing to the peculiar 

 frame of mind which we had imbibed from our recent deliverance, 

 — a frame of mind which philosophy would spurn at, but which 

 religion might have hailed as the precursor of the only solid happi- 

 ness destined for man. 



The day of our arrival in Table Bay was one of intense excite> 



