Volltext Seite (XML)
CHAP. II. VOYAGE TO MADAGASCAR. 19 bell buoy outside, we found ourselves, in less than an hour, in the broad waters of the Indian Ocean. I could not help noticing the comparatively quiet and easy manner in which our little craft put out to sea, so different from the activity, animation, and bustle, on board the large and crowded steamer. Our crew was soon mustered, as it consisted only of a very juvenile captain, a mate, four seamen, a cook and a steward, in all eight souls, and ourselves as passengers. Our captain was a native of one of the Sechelles, the mate was a Frenchman from Bordeaux, our sailors natives of Mada gascar, our cook a Frenchman, and the steward a Creole from Mauritius. As we proceeded from the land, we found that the wind, though fair, had raised a considerable sea; and the motion of our little cockle-shell of a vessel was so rapid and violent, as compared with that of the “ Indiana,” that, though anxious to keep on deck as long as possible, we soon became excessively sea-sick. Indeed, I do not remember, in all my voyages, ever suffering more from sea-sickness than during the early part of this passage to Madagascar. For the two succeeding days, I was scarcely able to leave my berth. In the mean time our fair wind had died away; and our vessel rolling violently in consequence of having nothing but ballast on board, we scarcely moved through the water a couple of miles in an hour. On the 5th day, towards evening, a light and fa vourable breeze sprang up, which inspired hopes of reaching our port in.a day or two, as the passage seldom occupies more than four or five days: during the night the ship’s head was turned northward in a direction parallel with the coast, lest we should prove to be nearer the land than was supposed. But the next morning was calm, and we again lay all day long rolling heavily under a scorching sun, upon a sea as smooth as glass. Land was reported as visible during the day, but at sunset the western horizon, where, if at all, it