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the boat floated away and was not recovered. No sooner were they on deck again, than three
out of these four very brave men insisted on being
lowered in the other quarterboat to go in search of the poor fellow. With immense risk and
difficulty they got away from the ship. But, alas! Too much time had been lost. They could see
nothing of the poor boy, surrounded as he was by mountainous biilows; and so in half an hour,
just as it was growing dark, they returned dispirited and exhausted, and ran innumerable risks
before they could be got on board. I caught one glance of the poor lad after he feli from the
ship; with one hand he was striking out, with the other he was endeavouring to scare away the
fou! birds of prey which were swooping over his head with their heavy wings. His haggard
looks were directed with terrible despair towards the ship and those standing on the poop. A
liquid mountain then rolled over him, and concealed him for ever from our view. 1 shal! never
think those albatrosses "sweet birds" after this. The Captain did not offer a word of thanks or
encouragement to the poor feilows who risked their lives to save their shipmate.
'Sunday, 5 May: In consequence of the heavy sea I had service below at half-past eleven. Read
the two psalms in the burial service; and then the communion service; and then gave a sermon.
Prefaced the service with the morning hymn, which was nicely sung by the children. After
evening prayers, 1 addressed the people on the catastrophe of yesterday. They all listened to
me with marked and individual attentions.
7 May: In Longitude 28° 7" E; and Latitude 39° 11 "S. A heavy sea still. The emigrants
compiain sadly of the scuttles leaking. Some of their mattresses are saturated with water,
consequently they rise in the morning with severe colds. They deserve to find Australia an El
Dorado, for they suffer very much morally and physically in getting there. My boys can say well
the first six Articles.
'3 May: In Longitude 35° 27" E. A heavy westerly gale all day. Deadlights up and the sea
running in iiquid mountains. At one am, during a thunderstorm, the main brace slipt out of the
block with a terrible whiz. At eight am the main royal was blown to pieces. At half past nine the
main royal mast was carried away and two poor fellows who were on it at the time escaped
destruction in a miraculous manner. This is the third main royal mast we have lost already. Lent
my cloak at night to two young women to sleep on. They spread it over their reeking mattress.
'Sunday, 12 May: In Longitude 44° 31" E. A very lovely sunrise and morning. The sun as high
priest seemed to be blessing the nuptials of the sky and waves. Had prayers on deck. All except
the mauvais sujets attended. Read the two lessons, the litany, and gave a sermon. Had a
conversation with one of the ship's apprentices, a Madrassee. He tells me that he reads the four
lessons every day. Talked to a rough-looking man, who had been what is termed a "navvy" in
England. He told me that the day looked like an English Sunday, it was so calm and so bright.
Ah, what can be compared to a bright English Sunday in the country, with the walk to church
across the fields., and the getting over the stiles, and the picking the way because a little rain
may have fallen during the night; and the people sitting on the gravestones chatting, and the low
thick walls of the church rising from a little wilderness of dry roses and honeysuckle. And all this
to the sound of the musical belts "calling in." This tone of feeling may seem sentimental and
poetical in England. But at sea, in that wild waste of waters stretching away between the Cape
and Tasmania, such
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