PORTER’S JOURNAL. 
5 
t©ok place. The weather throughout the passage was remarkably 
pleasant, but gradually increasing in temperature , as we increased 
our distance from the Gallapagoes; but the heat was unaccompa¬ 
nied by squalls, thunder and lightning, or rain. Two of my priso¬ 
ners at the time of making land were slightly affected with the 
scurvy; but (with the exception of them) we had not a sick man 
on board. We frequently saw tropic birds, sea swallows, gulls, 
and other birds that indicate an approach to land, but in greater 
numbers between the longitude of 100° and 105° than in any 
other part except in the neighbourhood of the Marquesas, where 
we saw vast numbers the day before making land, at which 
time also we saw immense shoals of spermaceti whales of all sizes 
which were slowly directing their course to the northward. In 
this run we saw vast numbers of flying fish, and many of that kind 
which have red wings: they are much larger than the others and 
are never seen in shoals. From the time of leaving the Galla¬ 
pagoes we experienced a constant westerly set of the current, 
which gradually decreased in velocity until we made the land, 
when we found its rate to be only twelve miles in twenty-four 
hours; but at the time of our departure from the Galiapagoes we 
found ourselves set to the westward daily twenty-five miles, and 
this was ascertained by the difference between our dead reckon¬ 
ing and our lunar observations, assisted by our chronometer. 
As we had little to employ our people about during our run, 
and as I believed that at this time more than any other I had much 
to apprehend from the scurvy getting among them, I considered 
it necessary to rouse them from that listlessness and apathy into 
which the human mind is apt to fall when destitute of employment. 
Ail were ignorant of the place of our destination or my intentions; 
I saw no propect of evil resulting from making them known; and 
as I have ever considered that cheerfulness is a more powerful 
antisceptic than any other known, I determined to apply one of the 
doses which I believe had heretofore greatly contributed to pre¬ 
serve the health of my men. The following note was communi¬ 
cated to them; and those who know the disposition of sailors may 
readily conceive the effect it produced. For the remainder of our 
passage they could talk and think of nothing but the beauties of 
he islands we were about visiting; every one imagined them Ve¬ 
nus’s, and amply indulged themselves in fancied bliss, impatient of 
