become unjust to the character of human nature. It is unquestionably true, that the poor and disappointed man is often too jealous on this subject, and puts an erroneous and unjust construction upon. conduct which is neither mercenary nor heartless. There are ma ny, whose good feelings are not measured by the prospect of remuneration, but flow more warmly as there is less expectation of pecuniary reward But it must be acknowledged, that I never saw my native country with so little pleasure as on my return to it after a disastrous termination of my enterprises and my hopes. The shore, on which I would have leaped with delight, was covered with gloom and sadness to my downcast eye and wounded mind. Whatever resolution and stubborness may be able to accomplish in outward conduct, the heart must feel its losses and its mortifications, and reveal to conscience the secret of our affectation in the indifference, which we assume for the moment of meeting and salutation.

To complain however was useless. I went to work with what skill and strength I had, and with what spirits I could revive within me. After a time, they returned to their former elasticity; I transacted a good deal of business; I took the head of a ship yard as master builder; and found the benefit of employment in the restoration of my cheerfulness.

My brother and myself built a small ship of two hundred tons and more, with the plan that I should take a voyage in her to the Pacific Ocean. She was launched and fitted; the company for the voyage was formed; and she was manned and armed for the South Pacific, and for the north west coast of America. A suitable cargo for this coast was put on board; eleven six pound guns were mounted; a crew of thirty men was shipped; and every thing was prepared for a double voyage.

From my experience I offer a few remarks on fitting ships for this trade. The vessel ought to be new, good, and strong, or at least nearly new, and always sound. On no account, and under no circumstances, ought an old decayed ship to be employed for this voyage. The common expression, "I believe she will perform the voyage well enough," is a disgrace to the judgment and feelings of him who uses it; it shows a feeble, inefficient mind, and a spirit of self-defeating economy. There should never be a doubt as to the fitness of a ship for such a long voyage. She ought not merely to be able to perform it with something like a luck which par

takes of the miraculous, but should be qualified, in the judgment of an honest and decided man, for the hazard, without an if or a but remaining. The fair conclusion should be "I know that she will perform the voyage, if any ship can." She should be at least two hundred tons, and never four hundred, as so large a ship is never required. She should be always coppered, and the metal should be fresh. Except when whales, or seals, are the object of the voyage, and the ship is to return immediately to America, she should be armed, and that according to the tenor of the voyage. If she goes to China, with what is necessary for that market, she should have from six to ten guns, some of them long to reach objects at long shots. Every part of the armament should be of a good quality that he who commands may always know on what to depend. The difference is a trifle between the best and that which is mean, a difference which none but a halting mind would regard. The guns ought all to be of one calibre to prevent the mistakes that are usually made without this, in taking cartridges, shots, ladles, sponges, and rammers, in the time of action. Let every article of the rigging be good, and let every ship have a large surplus of all kinds, as well of cavass, blocks, and twine, as of ropes. The provision should be of good quality, and put up in such good order as to be unquestionable. Put the bread in new casks, or in those which have been filled with brandy, and are well dried, any other liquor tending to give the bread a bad taste. They must be air tight, or the bread will surely spoil. Butter, lard, and pickles should be put into double casks, the outside one filled with salt or brine. The beef and pork for such a voyage ought to be packed with peculiar care, and the cheap kind as it comes into the market should not be purchased. I have had beef put up by Samuel Greggs, which I have carried round the world in a three years voyage, half the time between the tropics, and out of nearly an hundred barrels I never opened one in which the beef was not as sweet and good as when it was first put up. I brought some of it home to Boston again, which was cooked, and considered as corned beef. As a contrast to this, I have known beef, which was put up in this place, spoil in six months, and be thrown over board. This is no small or unimportant difference; and it is an article demanding much more attention than it commonly receives. There should be a large stock of beans, peas, dried apples and whortleberries, pickled cabbage, pigs and cattles feet

and ears, tripe, and pickles of various kinds. Take plenty of live stock, and a great abundance of water. To crown the whole, keep the stores in the best order. Let the hold, and all parts of the ship, be thoroughly and constantly aired; keep the hatches off in good weather; employ wind sails freely to force the air below; and remember the necessity of this to preserve the provisions, or a perishable cargo. Have frequent examinations or overhaulings. See if the casks are out of order; inspect the powder; and have it turned over once in every two months. Mark one side of the barrels with an X; stow that side up; and in two months put it down. One half of the powder in the casks will Le spoiled without this precaution.

In voyages for seals, you must have men who understand the business, and not raw hands, who will certainly make it a losing enterprize. Out of twenty, which should be the least number for a crew, the captain and six others at least ought to be able to teach the rest their business with skill. Such a set of men will do more and better than twice the number of those who are untaught. Let every man depend on his share of the seals for the voyage. In no other way will the men do well. Including what has been previously received, half the voyage may be computed and paid at Canton, as a fair principle. The shares to prime seamen, or sealers, should be one per cent or a hundredth part of the voyage, where there are thirty men belonging to the ship including the captain and officers. The money is to be divided after the expense of the boats for carrying the skins to Canton from the ship is deducted.— No other expenses are to come from the skins. The perquisite of the captain should be ten per cent. on all that can be realized from the cargo in the return of the ship. The cargo for the north west coast should consist of coarse cutlery, iron hollow ware, tin, iron, hard ware, blue cloth, blankets, bread, molasses, honey, sugar, and different kinds of arms. But no man should attempt to fit a ship for that voyage except one who has been concerned in the trade. At least, a ship should always be fitted under the direction of a man who has had this experience.

These remarks upon the mode of fitting out ships for such long voyages as those to the North West Coast, I hope may be regarded more than I fear they will be. The difference of expense between doing this well, and doing it ill, is small; but the difference of character, implied in the two modes, is immense. One is

humane, honorable, magnanimous, and the source of a pure and manly pleasure; while the other is mean, selfish, inhuman, pusillanimous, and the source of nothing but self reproach, where apathy has not taken entire possession of the heart.

I now come to the close of a chapter, which is also the close of a series of voyages in foreign countries, some fortunate and happy, and others disastrous and afflictive. My recollections of the time, spent with commodore McClure and his officers, are full of interest and pleasure, mingled indeed with regret that such feelings, as I then enjoyed, should not be longer in continuance, and able to bear a greater variety of vicissitudes. At that period, my mind was elastic, and ready to draw agreeable emotion from every companion, every object, and every event. But the trials and depressions, which I have since met and endured, have taken away this elasticity of the faculties and the affections, and have left me with that kind of tranquillity which always succeeds the permanent disappointment of our high hopes, and which is some compensation for their loss. Chastised expectations, a sort of contentment with ordinary comforts, diminished activity, and the small still pleasures of a life of peace, without much responsibility remain.

In the voyage of survey and discovery among the oriental islands, I had an opportunity to learn much of the human character in various circumstances, and under various institutions. Virtue and vice, happiness and misery, are much more equally distributed to nations than those are permitted to suppose who have never been from home, and who believe, like the Chinese, that their residence is in the center of the world, of light, of privilege, and of enjoy. ment. National prejudices, to a certain extent, may be very useful, and possibly necessary; but they are always attended by considerable evils in the narrow and intolerant spirit which they perpetuate, and in the contentions which they produce. The more enlarged a mind becomes in its views of men and the world, the less it will be disposed to denounce the varieties of opinion and pursuit, and the more it will enjoy the benevolent results to which wisdom and philosophy point. A narrow mind chafes itself by its own prejudices; but a man, who is accustomed to generalise his observations, principles, and feelings, and to subdue his prejudices by a practical philanthropy, acquires an habitual superiority to the inequalities and provocations of society, and has learned the divine art of extracting good from evil.

CHAPTER XV.

Departure from Boston in the ship Perseverance-Passage to St. Paul's Islands-Description of them-Fernando Noronha-Passage to the Falkland Islands-Description of them-Patagonia, the east coast of America, and Straits of Magellan-Port Famine-Passage round Cape Horn.

ON the 10th of November, 1799, we took our departure from

Boston light, and made the best of our way towards Cape Horn. After leaving Boston, we had the wind variable (as usual,) till in latitude 30° north, and longitude 42° east, by account, when it veered to the eastward, and kept us from making any more easting till in latitude 25° north, by account. It then hauled to the northeast, and gave us an opportunity to reach the longitude of 26°, by observation. We were then in latitude 5° north, and found we had had more than eight degrees of easterly current since we left Boston. It then changed and set to the west and northward, at the rate of one mile an hour. We had very disagreeable weather after we passed below the latitude of 12° north, with constant rains, a hot sultry air, and calms, till the sails were mildewed whilst hoisted, and every thing on board the ship was covered with a blue mould. In this place we began to feel the south east trade winds, which cleared the air, and the rain ceased. In latitude 3° 30′ north, the southeast trade winds took place and continued steady; but blowing more from the south than from the east, till after crossing the equator.

On the 23d of December, at two P. M. we saw three small islands bearing west by south, two or three leagues distant. We bore away, and at three, P. M. were abreast of them. We hoisted the small boat out, went on shore, and found them to be nothing more than a cluster of craggy rocks, about one fourth of a mile in length from north to south, and nearly as much from east to west. No sort of vegetation existed upon them. These rocks are five in