dearer to us all than our own lives, was truly pleasing. I remembered your “pledges” to pray for us and I aſsure you it was heart cheering. The Lesson has been pleasant and profitable. But I must bid you adieu, hoping to address you again next month.
Nov. 27 { S. Lat. 37º24 W. Long. 9.48
Another month has fled and we are hastening to our eternal state. While you my dear brethren have enjoyed your quiet blotted out word: within those sacred walls where so oft I mingled in your Society & with you studied and sung and prayed – while you have often visited the much loved “bower” and there prayed the Almighty Sovereign of heaven and earth to protect and prosper us your brethren and sisters toſsing upon the wide Ocean, we have rapidly advanced toward the land of moral desolations, and experienced the incidents connected with a long voyage; and we now have to record the faithfulneſs of Our Heavenly Father in bleſsing us abundantly as I trust in answer to your prayers. Since my last date (Oct. 30.) we have completely paſsed the torrid Zone, and we are now, as you see in the S. Temprt. Zone. By the Log-book miles from Boston, and from the place of my last date. —
The weather has been fine and some of the time hot: the thermometer standing from 82º to 86 at noon in the shade. Yet we have experienced but little inconvenience from the heat except a general laſsitude of mind and body. We have thus far had a remarkably pleasant voyage. The Captain has manifested much kindneſs and seems disposed to do all he can to add to our comfort and happineſs. The mates are no leſs ready to do all in their power to the same end. Steward and the cabin boy seem never tired of obliging us, performing the most menial services when our neceſsity or comfort demand it. In fine our company are happy as could be expected under our circumstances. All has been entirely harmonious, and love constantly increases. I regret most of all things, religion is but too low among us. We have a sermon on deck at 10 A.M. every Lord’s day: another in the After Cabin in the evening. The Officers and some of the crew attend the former. We have a bible claſs (examining Acts.) superintended by Br. Malcom at 4 P.M. Lord’s day. All the Miſsionaries engage in this exercise. Conference and prayer meetings Wed. evenings – Lectures on Miſsionary subjects Thursd. evenings by Br. Sutton or Malcom. During the heat of the day we are mostly on deck reading or studying &c.etc. in the welcome shade of the Awning; generally prominade some half hour or more at sunset – and again about 9 oclock in evening. This last is a most delightful hour of the 24, for the evenings are clear, agreeably cool, and quite light. O ‘tis delightful to gaze on the spangled heavens, and by the light of revelation and the help of astronomy to contemplate God in them displayed by his wonderful works. Above, around, beneath, one immeasurable extent prevails. Lost in the sublimity of the scene the mind roves unconstrained beyond the precincts of this little world to contemplate eternity and the eternity’s God. —
The weather for the most part has been exceedingly pleasant the past month. No storms, scarce an unpleasant squall. yet we have experienced several calms for a day or two, so that our progreſs has been leſs than we could have wished. On the 4th I was very ill with diarrhea which then prevailed quite generally among the brethren. This together with the debilitating influence of the climate rendered me almost insensible to any thing for three or four days. Little did I know when bounding like a young heart over the hills and through the vales of New York, how soon, and to what extent, I should experience the enervating influence of a long voyage and a vertical sun. I have not felt like myself one day since we sailed. —
We fell in with the N.E. Trades on the fifth and shaped our course for the coast of S.A. On the 6th all were on deck at sunset to witneſs “the Crossing the line”! [the Equator.] Our Long. was 28º W. It was a most lovely evening – scarce a cloud to blot the clear blue sky. The Sun descended gradually into the deep blue waters until at length he apparently made his bed in the depths of the Ocean. But as to the “line,” the croſsing of which was exciting so much pleasurable emotion among us, none could be seen; as you readily conclude. Like Like [sic] many other things of which we often make much ado, it exists only in the imagination. This has been a very interesting month. We have seen and spoken several veſsels since we sailed. On the 12th, we spoke the Ship Susan bound for Boston by which we sent letters to America. We were then S. Lat. 15º34’ and W. Long. 32º22’: and 5400 miles from Boston.
On the 19th it was rainy and cool; no sun. Our Lat. yesterday was 30º5 South. Long. 28º40’ West. Two large birds each about the size of a goose were seen flying about us. A cold western wind sprung up in P.M. On the 23. we saw a whale at a short distance but he went so fast and kept so much under water we could not see him distinctly. On the following day a fine School of Porpoises [sea-hogs] came playing under our bow did not capture any. Yesterday, (26th Inst.) we saw thousands of brown birds about the size of crows – anonymous. The weather is cold and dreary, flannel and winter clothes neceſsary. About noon we discovered land 30 miles abeam. [i.e perpendicular to our course.] The atmosphere being very moist we could discover merely the outlines of a mountainous Island resembling a dark cloud resting upon the horizon. You may see it laid down map of world by the name Tristand Acūnha, S. Lat. 37.20 and W. Long. 12º. I can aſsure you
