Whales abound round this island, but the
dreadful weather which generally prevails is
much against the fishery. Many whalers have
been out here, but have been obliged to
abandon the pursuit, after sustaining serious
losses by casualties among their men and destruction
of boats.
June 26th. — For the last week the weather
has been a succession of tempests, one immediately
following upon another, and scarcely
any possiblity of going out of the house ; but
this morning a considerable change has taken
place for the better, though a tremendous
swell is on the sea. At ten o’clock a . m . , saw
a sail, which appeared to be standing towards
the land: all employed making signal fires.
She fell to leeward of the island, and there lay
to, evidently anxious to speak with u s ; but
being to leeward, our boats durst not venture
off: so after laying to for about four hours,
she filled and stood off on her course. This
is the second mortification of the same kind I
have experienced. To-day the vessel came so
near, that we could distinguish her decks
crowded with people, and we imagined her
to be a Botany Bay ship ; and if so, she was
most likely bound for the Cape, the very place
I wished to arrive at. I f any thing could add
to my anxiety, at being shut up a prisoner in
Tristan d’Acunha, it is thus to see chances
thrown in my way of being released, and not
being able to avail myself of them ; none but
those who have experienced similar disappointments
can judge of my sufferings, nothing
that ever before occurred to me so completely
depressed my spirits. And I feel now the
sickening sensation of “ the hope deferred.”
From one week’s end to another I station
myself upon the rocks, straining my eyes with
looking along the horizon in search of a sail,
often fancying the form of one where nothing
is, and when at length one actually presents
itself, and the cheering sound of “ a sail! a
sail!” is heard, it puts “ allhands” into commotion,
as all these island settlers are anxious
to communicate with every vessel that passes,
—we see she notices our signal fires, •—she lays
to for us,—but an insurmountable barrier is
still between us, — all attempts to launch the
boat are vain,—she passes on her trackless