Being favoured with fine weather and good winds, we had a prosperous voyage to Cape Horn, and arrived off the pitch on the 7th of Feb. and passed round with a pleasant breeze. In prosecuting our voyage home, off the mouth of the river Rio de la Plata, and along the coast of Brazil, we had rough weather and thick fogs. On the 6th we made the land and harbour of St. Salvador, and about 9 o'clock came to anchor.--On the 7th we fired a salute for the fort, which was returned. We were now employed in watering our ship, and making other preparations for continuing our voyage homeward; and on the 15th got under weigh, with a fine breeze. April 1st. At 10 o'clock, made the Island of Barbadoes, and at 1 P. M. came to anchor, where we lay till 5 P. M. on the 3d, when we got under weigh, and sailed down the Island to St. Thomas, where we sent a boat ashore, and after transacting the business for which we stopped, made sail on the 9th for the port of New-York. On the 21st, made the highland of Neversink; at 2 P. M. took a pilot on board, but owing to fogs and calms, did not arrive to the port of destination till 1 P. M. next day, when we anchored opposite the West Battery, with a thankful heart that I was once more within the United States. CHAPTER VII. I will now proceed to give the reader some account of the Islands I visited, and of the manners and customs of the natives, and shall endeavour to be as candid and correct as possible. The Mulgrave Islands are situated between 5 and 6 degrees north latitude, and between 170 and 174 degrees of east longitude. They are about 50 miles in length, and lie in the form of a semi-circle, forming a kind of inland sea or lake; the distance across it being about 20 miles. The land is narrow, and the widest place is probably not more than half a mile. On the north side of the group are several inlets or passages, of sufficient depth to admit the free navigation of the largest ships; and if explored, excellent harbours would in all probability be found. In the inland sea are numerous beds of coral, which appear to be constantly forming and increasing. These coral beds are seen at low water, but are all overflowed at high tide. The whole group is entirely destitute of mountains, and even hills, the highest land not being more than six feet above the level of the sea at high water. By the accounts given me from the natives, it appears that some parts have been overflowed by the sea. Their being so low, makes the navigation near them very dangerous in the night, both because they would not be easily seen, and because the water is very deep quite to the shores; and a place for anchoring can scarcely be found on the outside of the Island. The air of these Islands is pure, and the climate hot; but the heat is rendered less oppressive by the trade winds, which blow constantly, and keep the atmosphere healthful and salubrious for so low a latitude.