agreeable to the passengers. These unpleasant varieties prevailed throughout the voyage, though I could detect, as time wore on, that some of these birds had faded from the scene by appearing on the breakfast table.
The vessel itself was a noble one. It was not like going to sea, to be in a ship that could one way or other make up 800 berths. Its tonnage was 1700 register, or about 2500 actual; and capable, if both its sets of engines were used, of extending their power from 850 horse-power to more than double that amount, to meet a hurricane. In case of a cyclone this is a great advantage: for such a vessel, with its head put to the wind, and its greatest power on, would cut through water, wind, and waves alike. This had happened a year before to one of these fine vessels, in the Bay of Biscay, where she pierced through 2 tempest for twelve hours, with her steam power raised from 800 to 1500 horsepower.
We however met with no such unpleasantness, which is at all times- xceptional. ‘The ship was like a large modern hotel, with every comfort ‘and luxury on board: plenty of ice, abundance of fresh distilled water, fruits, and flowers, There was none of the salt junk, hard biscuits, and stale water flavoured with rum, wherewith our old naval herocs, of the past generation, braved the battle and the breeze, and won their victories; but everything was so elegantly decorated and comfortable, that it would satisfy the most fastidious. Within four days we sighted land off Cape St. Vincent, and then kept along the coast of Portugal. The land seemed to he sia rugged, and with prominent rocks; and as we
