conqueror, the
upshot of the matter being that Jackson, to whom they referred the
knotty question, decided that it was "six for one and half a dozen for
the other." With this Solomon-like settlement of the difficulty both
were quite satisfied and were sworn chums ever after. I, indeed, was
the only loser by the little difference between the two, having to go
without my coffee until the proper breakfast hour, "eight bells," when,
possibly, I enjoyed my meal all the more from not getting anything
before.

Towards mid-day, we had sunk the land entirely to the westwards, the
ship being then on the wide-spreading ocean, with not a thing in sight
but water--"water everywhere!"

In front, in rear, to right, to left, all around was one expanse of
blue, like a rolling valley, as far as the eye could reach, while the
sky above was cloudless and the wind blowing steadily, a little to the
southward of east, right on our starboard beam as we steered north-
eastwards.

We were not altogether alone, however, for the ubiquitous flying-fish
were springing up every now and then from the azure deep, taking short
flights from one wave crest to another, or else entangling themselves in
the rigging of the ship, and then falling a gasping prey on the deck for
Cuffee bye and bye to operate upon in his galley, whence they would
emerge again fried into a savoury dish for the cabin table at dinner-
time.

Bonitoes and albacore also played round our bows, and the many-hued
dolphin could be seen disporting himself astern in our wake; while, at
one time, a large grampus swam for some considerable period abreast of
the vessel, as if showing how easily he could keep pace with us and
outstrip us too when he pleased, for, later on in the afternoon, he
darted away and was soon lost to sight. I had now got over all the
effects of sea-sickness, a hearty breakfast having restored my
equilibrium, thus enabling me to enjoy all that was going on around.
The captain especially claimed my attention when he "took the sun" at
noon, an operation which I watched with the most absorbed interest; and
I found out afterwards the use of the sextant, and the way in which the
difference between the ship's mean time and that of the chronometer
below in the cabin--which showed what the hour was at Greenwich--enabled
Captain Miles to tell almost to a mile on the chart what was our
position with regard to our longitude, our latitude being "worked out"
in a different f