APRiL.l VOYAGE TO ENGLAND* 
509 
Wcj who had heard nothing of Europe later than in 
September, 1813, were overwhelmed with astonishment 
on receiving, in the course of a few minutes, such extra- 
ordinary and unexpected tidings ; we wer^ like men that 
dreamed. After congratulating each other upon the 
news, we all felt a strong desire to know the particulars 
which led to such singular events ; but for this we were 
obliged to exercise a little patience till we should reacii 
some English port. 
At one, P.M. we got soundings at ninety fathoms, 
a proof we were not at a great distance from land. 
Was the state of it particularly examined when taken up? 
Yes, by the captain, Mr. Beck a passenger, and by niyself, and we 
observed only one hollow part in the pitch, about the size of a 
pin's head, that had been a bubble in the pitch, the top of which 
was broken, but the bottom remained covered with pitch. 
I preserved the bottle in the very state in which it was taken up, 
till the vessel arrived in the London Decks, but the cabin boy 
broke it by letting it fall when carrying it to my house in London. 
The experiment was made about eight hundred miles to the 
westward of Morocco, in calm weather. The lead which sunk 
the bottle was the same that is used for trying soundings, and the 
line the same usevi on such occasions. It was a wme bottle. 
Captain Kilgour, of the Venus, was equally anxious with 
myself to make the experiment. Both of us were so satisfied that 
every thing was correctly done, that we did not deem it necessary 
to make a third trial. 
