10 
“ What radiant changes strike the astonish’d sight? 
“ What glowing hues of mingled shade and light! 
“ Not equal beauties gild the lucid west, 
“ With parting beams all o’er profusely drest; 
“ Not lovelier colours paint the vernal dawn, 
“ When orient dews impearl th’ enamell’d lawn, 
“ Than from his sides in bright suffusion flow; 
“ That now with gold empyreal seem to glow; 
Now in pellucid sapphires meet the view, 
“ And emulate the soft celestial hue; 
“ Now beam a flaming crimson on the eye, 
“ And now assume the purple’s deeper dye; 
“ But here description clouds each shining ray, 
“ What terms of Art can Nature s powers display? 
We were not permitted to touch at the Cape, and therefore 
bore away for India. Soon after leaving the coast of Africa, we 
were awoke at break of day by the cry of fire! No situation can 
be more distressing; every dreadful idea which present danger 
suggests, or future misery anticipates, rushes on the mind; and 
most other trials of human fortitude appear light in the compa- 
rison: from conflagration on shore there is some prospect of 
escaping; and we look forward with hope, to the cessation of the 
severest tempest; or, if shipwrecked on a desolate island, we 
thank Providence for our preservation, and, like Crusoe or Selkirk, 
endeavour to make the best of our situation; but to be in flames 
on the boundless ocean, is a scene fraught with horror! in mo- 
mentary expectation of the powder taking fire, and blowing the 
vessel to atoms; or, of gradually burning to the surface of the 
water, and then foundering: a dreadful alternative! Providentially 
