=8th May.=—Lat. 55° 56′ S., long. 85° 48′ W. Wind north. Distance 294
miles. Skysails and staysails in and slab-reefed courses.
=10th May.=—Lat. 58° 12′ S., long. 69° 49′ W. Wind N.N.W. Distance
316 miles. 10 p.m., Cape Horn north 100 miles.
=17th May.=—Lat. 44° 37′ S., long. 64° 31′ W. Going at the rate of
12 to 14 knots and wind right aft which caused the ship to roll very
much. About 3 p.m. a heavy shower of snow was hailed with delight
by the passengers. Our captain transferred his command from the
Black Ball to the White Ball Line and first commenced snow-balling.
Fierce and fast grew the conflict, the ship helping many a valiant
snow-baller to a seat on her slippery decks. At 4 we saw an American
clipper standing eastward under close-reefed topsails.
=1st June.=—Crossed the equator at midnight in 30° W. Visit of
Neptune in the evening. Neptune made his appearance accompanied by
his wife Amphitrite. Their Majesties were received with the usual
honours, all the company standing up and the band playing “Rule
Britannia.” Neptune was dressed in the uniform of a Line regiment,
sea-green turned up with cerulean blue. His wife’s hair plaited in
the most tasteful manner nearly touched her feet, swabbing the decks
as she walked along. Neptune put the usual questions to our gallant
commander and having received satisfactory replies, his Majesty,
leaning upon his three-pronged toaster, made a circuit of the deck,
while the fair Amphitrite in passing made a most condescending bow
to the Queen of Beauty, who was supported on the arm of Aesculapius,
and at this piece of condescension dropped her large blue eyes and
looked confused. The salt of the briny element seemed to have excited
the thirst of Amphitrite and her attendants, which the Chief Justice
endeavoured to quench by draughts from the cup that cheers but
inebriates. Neptune having taken the pledge when he visited certain
other parts of his dominions would not put the hideous beverage to
his lips. The Gods and Goddesses then delighted the company by their
vocal melodies and finally descended to their chariot, which went off
with fire and smoke.
=4th June.=—Lat. 6° 30′ N., long. 30° 11′ W. Took the N.E. trades.
=28th June.=—Four passengers and a number of letters landed off
Kinsale.
=29th June.=—11 a.m., taken in tow by steam tug _Dreadnought_.
Anchored in Liverpool at 11 p.m. 79 days out. Since passing the Horn
it had been a light weather passage, the moonsail only being lowered
on two occasions and the lower deck ports only shut once.
THIRD VOYAGE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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