MARCH.] VOYAGE TO ENGLAND. 
501 
over the island that it has been produced by volcanic 
eruptions. 
The first day of March being fixed for the fleet to 
sail, the Commodore fired a gun in the morning, as a 
signal for all to get on board. About eleven, I left the 
friendly house of Mr. Boys, accompanied by him and 
his colleague Mr. Jones, and Ensign Armstrong, whose 
friendly attentions also I shall not soon forget. On 
reaching the pier, I found our ship's boat waiting for 
me, when, with painful feelings, I parted from these 
kind friends and went on board. At noon the fleet, 
which now consisted of twenty-one sail, got under 
weigh with a gentle breeze, which gradually removed us 
from St. Helena till it was no longer visible. 
On the morning of the ninth we discovered the island 
of Ascension, about forty miles to the N.W. which is 
about eight hundred miles from St. Helena. The cry 
of " Land" made every sleeper rise, and run to see it. 
At four P.M. being within a few miles of the island, 
several of us were ready to go on shore to catch turtle, 
but a strange ship appearing to the eastward, the Com- 
modore by signal ordered all to hold on their course, 
while he, with a fast-sailing Indiaman, went in pursuit 
of the strange sail ; so our turtle expedition was frus- 
trated. At sun-set we were ordered by signal to lie-to 
during the night, when our little brig had a narrow 
escape from being run down by one of the large India- 
men. We were detained till noon next day, as we sup- 
posed, for the turtle catchers; and having no expecta- 
