that love his appearing," might be bestowed upon "us in that day."

June 11. This being Whit-Monday, we remembered many of our dear friends and connexions, who were celebrating, in the land that we love, their Sunday-school anniversaries; and with these, in spirit, we held delightful communion. This day has been chiefly occupied by the crew in cutting up the black fish caught yesterday, boiling the blubber, and other necessary but disgusting operations. Several holes in the sides and heads of these animals were found crowded with crab-like lice. The same insects are such tormentors of the sperm-whales, that a small fish which feeds on them is said never to be disturbed at his meals by the grateful creatures to whom he renders such welcome service.

June 14. The weather being calm, we have lately made little progress. The sailors amused themselves with bathing and swimming about the ship; occasionally throwing themselves into the water from different parts of the vessel at considerable elevations. Robert, the Tahitian, however, excelled them all in this daring exercise. He climbed the foreyard, and from the end of it precipitated himself without fear or injury into the sea. The height could not have been less than forty feet.

June 16. Two ships were seen this morning, at considerable distances on either side of ours. Perceiving that one of them was standing towards us, our captain manned a boat and went on board, thinking that the crew might be in want of some assistance. It was a Portuguese brig, laden with salt, and bound to one of the South American ports. On the captain's return, we paid a visit to the stranger, to vary the scene, which had become somewhat dull on our own vessel, from the

long-continued calm. We were politely received, but could not help pitying the misery and discomfort of those on board; for, though the sea was quite still, the water with them was running over the deck. On contrasting our tight, trim ship, and all its internal conveniences, with this crazy hulk, we felt truly thankful for our superior lot.

This evening, while several of the crew were bathing, the captain and others from the deck observed a shark preparing to attack the boatswain, who was not aware of his peril till alarmed by their cries, warning him instantly to make for the ship. Happily he escaped when the monster was within three yards of him, in the very attitude and act to seize his prey. A boat was immediately sent out to return the assault upon the enemy. The boatswain, whose choler had been most vehemently moved by his danger, finding himself left behind, immediately baited a large hook with about half a pound of pork, and suspended the line over the stern of the vessel, hoping to allure his late voracious pursuer to its own destruction. In less than five minutes his hope was realized; and his transport then was equal to his former rage, when he saw the shark fast upon his snare. It was quickly hauled on deck, by means of a rope dexterously noosed round its tail. The captive made a desperate floundering, but was overpowered, and dispatched as easily as an animal so horribly tenacious of life could be. The motion of the heart actually continued for some minutes after it was taken out of the body. It may be observed, that for the bulk of the fish the heart was remarkably small, not being larger than a pullet's egg. The sailors called this the brown shark (squalus carcharias). It measured six feet in length. Not contented with what had been already taken, the hook was again baited, and presently another shark (squalus glaucus) was hoisted on

EXPLOIT OF A TAHITIAN.

15

board: this was eight feet long, and differed in various particulars from the former. It proved to be a female, which, on being opened, was found to include thirty-four young ones, each about a foot in length.

June 17. (Lord's day.) Mr. Tyerman preached on deck in the forenoon to the whole company; but in the afternoon, the weather having changed from almost a dead calm to very heavy wind and rain, Mr. Jones was obliged to perform his duty in the cabin to our own small party.

Talking, during dinner, of the character of those islanders whom we hope soon to see, the captain said that, on his last voyage, when he had gone out as mate only, they had on board two New Zealanders, and a native of Tahiti. The latter, on many occasions, displayed fearless courage and prompt intelligence; of which he gave us a strange example.

Late one evening, he (our captain, then mate) had struck a very large sperm whale, not far from the ship. The fish, after some convulsions, remained motionless for a considerable while, apparently about three yards below the surface of the water. The crew having waited in vain to see her rise, the captain of the vessel was afraid that he should lose her. On looking down earnestly, however, he thought she must be dead, the mouth being open. Hereupon he observed, that he should like to have a noose-rope thrown round the lower jaw; and told the Tahitian youth that he would give him a bottle of rum, if he would venture to dive down and perform that office. The chief mate (our captain), whose harpoon was in the whale, protested against such an attempt as too hazardous ; but the captain urged the necessity of making sure of so valuable a booty. The Tahitian, meanwhile, surveying the

body as it lay, and tempted by the proffered reward, exclaimed, 66 Aye, aye, she dead-I go." Accordingly taking the rope, ready for application, between his two hands, he lowered himself directly over the monster's mouth, put the noose over the lower jaw, placed his foot against the jaw to tighten the rope, and then buoyed himself up, sprang into the boat, and claimed his reward. The carcass was thus secured, (for happily the whale was dead,) and towed to the ship. We shall not enquire whether this story most displays the extraordinary boldness of the South Sea islander, or the inhuman cupidity of the European captain of that vessel.

June 20. Last night and this morning we have had squalls and heavy rains. A fresh breeze followed, and is carrying us delightfully along. The captain doubts not but this is the commencement of the south-east trade wind, which we have been desiring through several days of weary calm. The brilliancy of the sea this evening far surpassed what we had hitherto seen of the kind. The ship was going rapidly along, throwing up a furrow of foam about the bow. In this, the luminous appearances before mentioned glittered with peculiar delicacy; but it was after the foam had subsided in the frothless water (itself of a deep-black hue,) that they displayed their full splendour, gliding, like millions of diamonds, in giddy succession by the side of the vessel, or flashing in her wake. Lifting our eyes above, we beheld the stars, in the absence of the moon, sparkling with unmitigated lustre, amidst a sky of such intense purity, that the heavenly bodies far excelled in glory their appearance through our native atmosphere.

June 21. As the sun now enters Cancer, and is at his greatest northern distance from the line, this may

CROSSING THE LINE.

17

be called one of the two mid-winter days of the equator. To us the temperature is very agreeable. It has ceased to be a novelty to see our very brief shadows falling towards the south at noon, and at night to observe the moon pursuing her course to the north of the zenith; but these circumstances have not ceased, from time to time, to engage our attention and affect our feelings, since all the phenomena peculiar to these latitudes remind us, by contrast, of the land of our birth, and the friends of our hearts abiding there.

June 23. This day we passed the equator; when certain preposterous ceremonies, as usual, were observed on board, during which we did not escape a little sprinkling of salt

water.

June 24. (Lord's day.) (Lord's day.) Mr. Tyerman preached this morning upon deck, from Isaiah xxxiv. 17: "His hand hath divided it to them by line." His object being to improve the event of yesterday, he made the following observations: I. There is a line of being, which we all crossed when we were born; then we were endowed with a rational and intelligent nature; and then we entered up on our state of probation. II. There is a line of regeneration, dividing the moral world into two hemispheres, in one of which dwell the righteous, and in the other the wicked. This line must be crossed by all, before they can become Christians indeed, and enjoy the privileges of the gospel. III. There is a line of death, which we must each cross when we have finished our probationary course, and go before the tribunal of God to render an account of the deeds done in the body; but when, where, and how we shall cross this line, we know not. IV. There is a line which divides between heaven and hell: this, none shall ever cross who have once taken up their abode in either of