heavy sea, which had been rolling us along since we entered the Mediterranean. It was some time before any one could be spared from the deck to attend to the state of affairs below; and if, in the mean time, we had shipped another sea, the consequence would have been more serious. As it was, my situation was sufficiently deplorable; and my only choice was between saltwater in the cabin, or rain-water on deck.-Passed the remainder of the night like a half-drowned rat. The squall soon subsided; and the wind returned to its old quarter in our favour. 23rd. Breeze still steady. Fine weather, but cold. The sea of a fine dark indigo. Quantities of fish sporting about the vessel. A strange sail to the southward of a suspicious appearance, which seemed to savour of Algiers. 24th. I begin to suspect that all I shall gain by my voyage will be the conviction that a man who travels so far from home, in pursuit of health, travels on a fool's errand. The crosses he must meet on his road will do him more injury, than he can hope to compensate by any change of climate. I am told that a sea-voyage, to be of any benefit to an invalid, should be made in a frigate, or other vessel of equal size; but of this I doubt;-for all comfort is so entirely out of the question at sea, that I think the difference of as little importance as the choice of a silken or hempen rope would be to a man at the gallows. I am sure, however, that the fatigue and discomfort of such a little cock-boat as this, is much the same thing as if one were to be tossed in a blanket during one half of the day, and thrown into a pigsty for the remainder. I nunc, et ventis animam committe dolato 26th. Saw land again at a distance on the western coast of Corsica. 27th. The wind, which had hitherto been blowing steadily in our favour, now slackened. At noon we were becalmed with a very heavy swell. A storm came suddenly on. While we were standing on the deck, the ship received a violent blow on the stern, which threw the captain, the supercargo, and myself, on our faces. It is such an accident as this, according to the captain, that, in rougher weather, sometimes sends a ship in a moment to the bottom. The boat was knocked away, and we heard another crash in the cabin. It was a repetition of the affair of Wednesday, with this difference, that on this occasion-it was on the supercargo's side. As I saw his bed brought up to be dried, I never felt so strongly Rochefoucault's meaning, in his memorable maxim about our neighbour's misfortunes. This storm ended as the last, and the wind returned to its old quarter in our rear with greater violence than before; and we made all sail for Leghorn. Tuesday, 28th. Italiam! Italiam! At eight o'clock this morning we were within eighteen miles of Leghorn-near the little island of Gorgona, with Elba on our right, and the smiling land of Italy spread out before us. Achates himself could not have been more rejoiced than I was at this sight;—and it is not the "humilem Italiam,” which Æneas describes, but the high ground behind Leghorn, with the bold outline of the Apennines in the back-ground. If the wind had continued three hours longer, we should have breakfasted at Leghorn. But, within sight of port, the wind has chopped about, and, for the first time since we left Lisbon, we have begun to tack. The view is, however, full of interest, and I have no right to complain of the wind, considering what a galloping voyage we have made. 29th. After tacking against a foul wind throughout the whole of last night, we entered the road of Leghorn at nine o'clock this morning, having completed the passage from Lisbon in twelve days. A boat from the Health-office hailed us immediately, and we were ordered to perform a quarantine of ten days. Thus it seems that, before we enjoy the delights of an Italian Paradise, we are to be subjected to a purgatory of purification; such as Virgil describes : Aliæ panduntur inanes Suspensæ ad ventos: Donec longa dies, perfecto temporis orbe, Our passage has been so short, that these ten days might well be added to the account, without exciting much impatience—but it is always difficult to submit quietly to unnecessary restraint. 30th. Weighed anchor, and were permitted to go within the mole into the harbour. The last ten days of all quarantines are performed here; and as we had a clean bill of health, and there was, in fact, no real ground for putting us under quarantine at all, we proceeded at once to this destination. Two officers of the Health-office were put on board to prevent all intercourse with us. As soon as we were safely moored within the harbour, a boat full of musicians made its appear ance under the cabin-window, and we were serenaded with "Rule Britannia," and "God save the King." It is the custom to celebrate in this manner the arrival of every new comer, and to welcome him with the national airs of the country to which he belongs. A few hours afterwards, an American came to an anchor very near us, and we had then to listen to Yankee Doodle's March, with some other airs not at all tuneable to an English ear. This serenading is probably the remains of an old custom, when a voyage was considered an adventure of great danger, and the return of a ship an event worthy of extraordinary celebration. Boats are constantly plying with supplies of all sorts of provisions from the shore ;-and it is perhaps worth while to fast for ten days, in order to enjoy in perfection the true relish of beef. Saturday, 1st Nov. to 7th. The days of quarantine pass heavily along. The value of liberty can only be known by those who have been in confinement :-for "It so falls out, That what we have we prize not to the worth, The quarantine laws, like most others, though |