AT SEA. 2,1 
worse than ever, and has obliged us every evening to shorten sail. 
The wind, after changing to the south, blows from the west. 
September 30.^ The trade wind again prevails, and is again taking 
us to the westward ; this, added to the incumbrance of the Lord Eldon, 
leaves us no hopes of a quick passage. For nearly the whole of 
yesterday, we were under our top-sails and fore-sail only ; yet the 
Lord Eldon could with difficulty keep up with us, with every sail 
set. The weather is uncommonly pleasant, as we have hitherto 
experienced but little cold, and no rain. 
October 5 . — For these last four days we have had a fresh gale, and 
heavy squalls ; fortunately the sea kept down, but we were obliged 
to double-reef our top-sails, a circumstance that never before had 
happened during our voyage. The Lord Eldon kept close to us, 
and afforded us not a little self-congratulation ; we saw the waves 
repeatedly break over her, while the Minerva went bounding on 
with her decks perfectly dry. The gale, which carried us consider- 
ably to the south, has now abated, and left us only light variable 
winds, which gives us reason to hope that we shall soon be able to 
bear up for the Gape. The weather is so piercingly cold as to have 
obliged us to add to our bed-clothes, and take to our winter dresses. 
We have observed the marine barometer for several days, and have 
been completely deceived by it. Previously to the gale of the four 
last days, it daily and rapidly rose ; now that the weather is become 
mild , it is as rapidly falling. I consider it as foretelling only a change 
in the wind : the moisture usually attendant on a south-westerly 
wind depresses the glass, and the dry south-east has a contrary effect. 
October 9. — A light breeze has sprung up from the north after 
a calm, and our head is now right for the Cape, nearly in the latitude 
VOL. I. E 
