Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 4).djvu/379

 and there being nothing to interrupt the prospect, it was delightful beyond description.

March 16. At six A. M. the pilot came on board; at seven we despatched him again, and we now entered the gulph of Mexico, our course directly S. E. The brig rolled and we got sea-sick. Latitude 27 and 46.

March 17. In the evening saw numbers of beautiful flying fish endeavouring to escape from the pursuit of their inveterate foe the dolphin.

March 18. Strong N. W. breezes, lat. 25 55. The 19th, 20th and 21st, head winds, much rolling and tossing, sickness encreased. The 22d, fine weather, becalmed in the afternoon. At 7, more flying fish skimming the surface of the sea, indicating the approach of dolphins, to take which the captain, he being an adept in this business, made preparations, and caught one weighing 13 pounds, which was cleansed and set apart for to-morrow's dinner.

March 23. Saw to the leeward five sail of British ships of war, one of which was the sloop Stark, 16 guns. After chasing another American ship, she came after us; we knew it was in vain to flee, therefore backed our sails till she came up. She spoke us, sent a boat on board, took our captain and supercargo, and the brig's papers. After examining them, {342} and keeping us two hours in suspense, we were suffered to depart. We were now in lat. 23. 32, six miles off the isle of Cuba.

We steered N. W. by N. knowing this direction, aided by the gulph stream, would bring us to the Marter's reef on the Florida shore. At one, dined on our dolphin, a delicious dish. At four, having passed the tropick of Cancer, saw a beautiful tropick bird, with a long divided tail, all over white, shaped like a pigeon, but longer. In the evening we tacked and steered east, the gulph stream still pushing us forward.

March 24. A British privateer, from Province, with