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2 several weeks, when a sail was reported to be visible on the
3 horizon; the passengers immediately went on deck to behold
4 the sight. It was an American whaler, and many of the
5 sailors were sitting on the tops of the masts to get a distant
6 view of the ocean. On the coast of Africa, near the Equator,
7 we encountered a vessel, which, from the account given us by
8 the captain, was coming from Bombay, bound for Calcutta, and
9 had been driven by adverse gales into this part of the Atlantic !
10 The crew and passengers were sorely distressed for want of
11 provisions, and, without knowing even the name of the captain,
12 we supplied them with rice, potatoes, beer, & c. gratis.
13 At various periods of the day, even when the sun was but
14 slightly visible, the captain and officers took observations with
15 their nautical instruments; and, after making their calculations,
16 would point out to us, on the map, the exact spot on the watery
17 plain which we were then traversing. In the early part of our
18 voyage, as we approached the southern hemisphere, we gradually
19 lost sight of the northern constellations, and when we reached the
20 equator, we could not any longer descry the polar star ; but, we
21 were compensated for this, by the appearance of other constella-
22 tions in the south, which were gradually manifested within our
23 horizon, among which that of the Cross is the most magnificent,
24 the others being considerably inferior to the northern. These
25 incidents may probably appear superfluous to those who have
26 made the voyage ; but, to numbers who have not crossed the
27 waste of mighty waters, they may possibly afford some interest.
28 The various events which I have described in this volume,
29 have all been written from memory; as the only time which I
30 could spare for committing any observations to paper, was fully
31 engrossed in noting down those which related to medical subjects;
32 therefore, it can easily be imagined, that some of the minor
33 details may be slightly inaccurate, and that many an important
34 fact, which would have been worth recording, may have escaped
35 my remembrance. I can, however, assure my readers, that, as far
36 as my memory serves me, I have presented to them a faithful
37 record, and that I never have, in any instance, wilfully swerved
38 from truth.