George Fletcher Moore

“ Every person, however humble in ability, may be the instrument of incalculable benefit. Let him take a few Bibles, Prayer-books, and well-selected volumes of sermons; let him produce and use them on the Sabbath, and in his own little circle keep the day holy. ”

“ Thermometer only 64°—great talk of being in the latitude of pirates, and consequent cleaning and preparing of all our firearms—saw nothing, however, more terrible than some large porpoises playing about the bows of the vessel. Experienced the want of a filtering machine for our water, which already smells offensively and tastes badly. This is a sad want. It is inexcusable in the captains of vessels to be unprovided with this valuable and unexpensive apparatus, which conduces so much to health and comfort. ”

“ Water miserably bad; even filtering fails to improve it, as one of our passengers, who happens to have a good filtering machine, assures me. The only way to swallow it without disgust is in negus, with plenty of lemon juice.
Saw a pilot fish, which is about the size of a mackerel, with stripes on his side like those of a zebra. I am told that he generally accompanies the shark; the latter, however, did not appear, but towards evening a large shoal of porpoises surrounded the vessel, apparently more for sport than prey, their gambols being of the most comic kind. ”

“ We hope to see Antonio, one of the Cape Verd Islands, to-morrow. The anxiety with which we look for the smallest island is inconceivable to those who have not been exposed for many days to the monotony of time passed on the ocean. ”

“ Thermometer 80°, at 2 P.M. This day, for the first time, we saw a shark gliding slowly along, with its fin just above the water's surface, and in his wake followed a great train of what the sailors call Portuguese men of war, and a long shoal of flying fish and bonetas, so that we had something to look at. We are disappointed in our hope of seeing the land of St. Antonio, the weather proving hazy, and there being every indication of our losing the N.E. trade wind, and falling in with the S.W. wind, which prevails about the Cape Verd Islands. ”

“ I take a great deal of exercise on deck, swinging on the ropes by the hands, legs, arms, and jumping over one of my feet held in the opposite hand. These gymnasticising exercises are of great benefit to me. You may tell this to Huguenin when you see him. Several of the passengers, and sailors also, amused themselves to a very late hour with different sorts of sports, hunt the slipper, and other playful exercises, with which they were much delighted. I took a pump bath at midnight and found the water rather cold. ”

“ The effects of the heat have been proved on our mutton (the sheep which James killed three days ago being quite offensive, though washed with chloride of lime) , and still more lamentably on Poor Lass, who is staggering about, restless and feverish, and half frantic; at one time coming down to my cabin, at another wandering about the deck, as if in search of something, and paying little attention to her young ones ”

“ He may at first meet with indifference or opposition, but let him persevere, as in the instances of Buchanan and Henry Martin, and he will at length be listened to with reverential attention. Sailors have strong impressions of religion; and the ocean is a scene, of all others, the most likely to excite the adoration of Him, "who weigheth the waters by measure."—Editor. ”

“ Weather fine, but warm and close; a numerous shoal of porpoises have come rushing towards the ship with great violence. "They are just like sheep sporting in a field," said Letty, and it was not a bad simile for their boundings and gambols; and although it was comical enough to see these animals floundering about, I could not help feeling some alarm on the recollection of an observation Captain Cook makes somewhere in his voyages, "that the playing of porpoises [2] round the ship was a certain indication of an approaching gale;" ”

“ Our determination is to fight manfully, if we should be attacked by an equal force; if by an overwhelming one, to submit quietly at once. Some of these pirates have eighty men and ten or twelve guns; we have but twenty men and two six pound carronades, and small arms.
August 1st.—Fine morning. Breeze strong. Found that we had made but nine miles southing since yesterday. Read prayers, and an excellent sermon of Burder's. ”

“ We can plainly distinguish clumps of trees on the low lands in front; and in the back grounds a range of hills, apparently twenty-five or thirty miles distant. All our people are in high spirits but we are obliged to put about, and stand off, as our charts are not perfect enough to assure us of our proper landing-place. ”

“ The time which I have chosen has been about an hour before midnight, in order to obtain cool and refreshing sleep. Last night, after my bath, I remained a long time on deck en chemise, without any inconvenience whatever. Thermometer yesterday, lat. 15° 4', in my sleeping cabin stood at 81°; in the afternoon 85°, and on deck 92° 22'. This day we have had a great addition to our live stock, Poor Lass having presented me with nine puppies, five of which were committed to the deep. I have been obliged to keep four, to gratify the urgent solicitations of some of our passengers ”

“ We take tea at candle light (the sun setting at six) , and from seven until bed-time, I usually remain on deck, star-gazing, gymnasticising on the ropes, or chatting with some of the passengers.
Before leaving Europe I was cautioned against heavy night dews, but I have not experienced any vapours, though remaining on deck until nearly twelve every night, and frequently standing for a considerable time en chemise after a cold bath. Time passes slowly with some persons on board, but with me its course appears rapid ”

“ 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. ”