A SPANISH VESSEL IN DISTRESS. 
203 
daily victims to our voracious appetites. One little turtle which 
looked as though he had been taken from his native island, 
much against his will, was thrust into a barrel, and there com¬ 
pelled to lay on his back. As I passed, I thought he eyed me 
with solicitation, and I requested one of the firemen to turn him 
over. This he did, much to the poor creature’s apparent satis¬ 
faction. I relieved his pangs for the moment, and shall proba¬ 
bly help devour him for dinner. Mr. Foster and myself had 
supplied ourselves liberally with oranges, pine-apples, limes, 
“ forbidden fruit,” bananas, &c., and spent much of our time in 
feasting. According to observation at 12 M., we were 920 miles 
from New York ; we have made, in twenty-four hours, 214 miles, 
and are now under a full press of canvas. 
3rd. (Sunday). We have a sermon by an English clergyman, 
from Kingston. By observation at 12 M., we had made 234 
miles in twenty-four hours. We have a strong wind, and very 
heavy sea; boxes and barrels are running foot races on deck, 
it rains in torrents, hatches are closed down, but our ship rides 
gallantly. She rises manfully from the strife, shakes off the 
spray, and again leaps upon her antagonist. 
4th. Stormy unpleasant day. We are now off the coast of 
the Oarolinas, in the gulf-stream. The wind blows cold off the 
land, reminding us of winter. Three days ago we were picking 
oranges and limes, the themometer at 105°. Oh! aflthracite 
coal! I most earnestly implore thy protection. While at din¬ 
ner, we shipped a sea, which burst through the windows, putting 
out the lights, carrying every dish from the table, and saturating 
the entire company. The captain who, with a party of ladies, 
was sitting at the head of the table, claimed the most liberal 
instalment. At half past 2 P.M., a vessel appears, and bears 
down for us, running before the wind. She proves a Spanish 
bark; her rudder has been carried away, a spar is lashed on in 
its place, by which they are trying to manage her. She has up 
a foresail and spanker, and hoists a signal of distress. It is 
blowing a gale, raining in torrents, and the sea running moun ¬ 
tain high. Our quarter boats could not live an instant, render¬ 
ing it impossible to assist them. As they passed near us, we 
saw two men on the foretop-gallant yard. At 6 P.M., our tiller 
chains gave way, the steamer is thrown around into the troughs, 
