Feb.] chased BY A PRIVATEER. 339 
taining the unicorn's horn and other African 
curiosities, I proceeded to the Admiral's, where 
it was opened after breakfast, and its contents 
seemed to interest himself and all those persons 
whom he had invited to see them. I left fine 
specimens of blue asbestos stone, found beyond 
the Great, or Orange River, in South Africa, for 
the Admiral, Sir H. Lowe, and Buonaparte. The 
Admiral politely undertook to convey to General 
Monthelon the specimens for the Ex- Emperor. 
I afterwards visited and was kindly received by 
the Rev. Mr. Vernor, under whose roof I had the 
happiness of spending a very agreeable hour. 
We sailed in the evening after sunset, immedi- 
ately on the signal being made to James Town 
that Buonaparte was safe. We crossed the equa- 
tor on the sixteenth of March, and on the twenty- 
fifth we were chased by a South American pri- 
vateer for several hours ; they boarded us, but took 
nothing away.* We crossed the tropic of Cancer 
April the second. On the seventeenth we passed 
about midnight Flores and Corvo, the two most 
northerly of the Azores, or Western Islands, which 
were pretty distinctly seen, the moon being full. 
*The officer who boarded us was probably a North American, 
for he spoke English like a native. I embraced the opportunity 
of presenting him with a neat pocket New Testament, which 
he received in a friendly manner. 
z 2 
