x, having passed the night comfortably with pleasant
dreams, is this occasioned by an empty stomach? Found we had made little
way during the night; said to the second mate that we had got on very
quickly, but he said they had had a busy time of it, as the wind had
been in almost every point. I cannot but think that everything is
managed much silenter than with the _Britannia_; a calm all day, the
evening passed very pleasantly in general conversation. Finished reading
Bryant's "Poems," some very good and highly descriptive. Had some
conversation with several Irish women about returning home, afterwards
insulted by some of their countrymen. The longitude is discovered best
by a good time piece.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH.

Got up at half past six, not having slept so well as when the stomach
was empty. Some conversation about Cobbett, most of them against him
without knowing much about him. The wind favourable since three o'clock,
going 6 to 8 knots an hour. Commenced reading Cobbett's "Life of
Jackson." Shuffleboard played. Several porpoises seen. A good many
petrels. After lunch a vessel suddenly appeared out of the mist with a X
upon it. Supposed to be either a French packet, or one to Philadelphia.
Another vessel was seen this morning, another sail seen this evening
about 5-1/2. Found two or three slices of melon with a biscuit to be a
good lunch.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST.

Passed another good night, and rose at half past six. Found we had been
making about 5 knots an hour; three ships in sight; read before
breakfast one of Cobbett's sermons "On hypocrisy." In the forenoon two
sermons from Chalmers's "Discourses on Commercial Integrity." One of the
steerage passengers read from the Scriptures and commented sensibly,
but he was laughed at by some graceless Irishmen. In the afternoon Mr.
Hopkins proposed to address the passengers. After reading about the
talents he proceeded to speak of the Bible as the oldest and best Book.
Paine, he said, had denounced it as a forgery, but various authors had
mentioned the N.T. Burnett had quoted Lord Clarendon: the Old Testament
was much older and was so called at the time the New Testament was
published; the difficulty of procuring a copy before the art of
printing, if the best, each should strive to get a copy, also read it
and understand it, but above all practice it; not to be compared with a
library even extending across the Atlantic, because the one only treated
of this