Page:Diary of ten years.djvu/19

 3 of writing to our friends, as well as the limited time would permit. I wrote a few lines (thought crowding upon thought in the happiest confusion) to my dear father and brother. As the captain of the Patriot did not seem quite sure of his reckoning, we gave it correctly to him; he had two officers on board who wished for newspapers, which unluckily for them and the credit of our philanthropy, we did not share. Being now 16° W. our time is one hour and four minutes later than at Greenwich, each degree making a difference of four minutes. The most perceptible difference in our latitude is the short duration of twilight.

We expect to fall in with the regular S.E. trade wind a few degrees on this (north) side of the line; our course must then be directed towards South Ameria, until this region be traversed, after which we may calculate on variable winds until we shall have reached a more southerly latitude, when westerly winds will prevail again. Remained late on deck in the evening, watching the phosphoric brilliancy which every one has witnessed at sea, and the deep blue of the ocean.

11th.—At four in the morning passed Madeira, lying about twenty-five miles to the east. Most delightful day; wind moderate and steady from the N.E., supposed to be the regular trade wind. Read morning service, and the psalms and lessons for the day, with a sermon; the captain, passengers, and crew, with the exception of two or three, attending in the large cabin–a gratifying and impressive scene. No vessel, no living thing in sight, except a solitary bird, one of Mother Carey's chickens. Ship going at the rate of nine knots, and rolling more than is quite comfortable. Peak of Teneriffe not yet visible. Saw flying fish for the first time. They seemed to spring up from the side of the vessel as if startled, sometimes taking a considerable flight, at other times just touching the waters and then rising again. Occasionally a single one rises, at other times twenty or thirty spring up together. I could not perceive any vibrations in their fins or