L E T T ER ÏL
Departure from Madera.—A t Sea— The pleasure of a Passage in the
Tropics—On the Dolphin of the Ancients.—Ok the Shark.—The
Thrasher.—The 'Lightning o f the Sea Water.— The Appearance of
the Coast of Guyana.— Two Privateers insight.—The Jason attacked.
—Captured, and carried into Martinico. ,
v My D ear. Sir , ' - funchal, Jan. as, i8Q5.
I h a v e taken my place for the passage to Surinam in the Jason,
Captain Martin ; she is a ship of three hundred tons burthen, and
her cargo consists óf Madeira wine. There is no other passenger tj^an
myself, and the Captain has called on me to-day requesting that I
■would sleep on bpard his ship to-night, as lie expects to sail early
to-morrow morning; thus then I am about to write my last adieu to
you from this island ; but as the departure in sea voyages is always
-very uncertain, I intend leaving an open letter for you at one of the
gentlemen^, houses here,- with a request that he will add m a postscript
the time of our sailing, and then forward thé letter to you
by the first opportunity; but should any accident present it, I hope
the one which I am actually writing will give you at once my proceedings
from the time of leaving this island till .my arrival injhe
Tropics.
Agreeably to your desire I will send yoti my journal, whfgh will
only consist of a few nptes,as the keeping a minute account of a
voyage can only be interesting to seafaring persons. There is indeed
little that can be said to merit attention from others, where, for so
. many weeks, the passenger is confined in an incessant circle of the
fluid; andfor the- purpose: of! trying experiments at spa, there are'
no proper ■instruments to be obtained at-Madeira. If you therefore;
find this ; abridgment little interesting, you will, havereason to.
thank me for saving you, the time and trouble of reading the whole.
jan. 24th.-—The Captain has ?been. disappointed in his intention
of saiiing to-day. A Spanishiship appeared in sights off the island,,
on which aecount, the# Govemorwonld not allow the Jason, which
is an armed vessel, p); leave, the road until the Spaniard was quite
out of her reachit- ifhis circumstance, is. not pleasant to;me, as all
my things have been: sent on board. However, I must say that A.
de S. F. is in the right ;• he discharges, his public, trust as .Governor,
With as much jostieeiand dignity, as.he is re>pdc table in his private
life,-and ho must be considered as a great credit to the Portuguese
nation.
Jan. 25th. At sea__We leftiMadeira this morning without any
more delay, when the* Captain had, received permission to sail, with
the' wind at-'Hv-W. and the weather fpirij§ The?island, with its gradually
rising mountains, presented a most pfeasingprospect. In the
town, of Funchal the sun was shining brightly on the antique castle,
Whilst- the whole picture was finely shaded by. |ome,<ilouds hovering
over the magnificent church on the top*of the mountain.
Jan. 86th.-—The wind coming more to the . northward, and
blowing fresh all night, we could see PQ. mere of Madeira this
morning. A brig called the.Somerset keeps us company for mutual
defence. The two captains ham just been cdngulting together to
keep further-off from the. Canary Islands, for fear&of falling in. with,
the privateers which cruise in that quarter, an<f therefore I have no
hope of seeing the majestic Peakof Teneriffe, : :
Feb. ISk—Sinee/our passing the twentieth degree ;of North latitude,
w-e'enjoy the benefit The .sails !
require no labour in trimming, and the mariners employ their time,
in the different occupations of mechanics j iqeantiroe, by the arrange