hurch, in
which all pray and sing praises to God together in our own language, and
hear a simple sermon which we can understand, reminding us of our
duties, and admonishing us of our faults. That's what I call public
worship."

"And that's what I hope we shall get, dear wife, in time, out where we
are going, but I doubt whether we have much chance of it yet," said I;
for I knew that people when they get away from England are too apt to
grow careless about their church, and their religion also.

We quickly got on board our water, and fuel, and fresh provisions, and
some green stuff, and hay for the sheep, and corn for the fowls. The
two boys went on shore with their brothers and brought off a bowl of
gold and silver fish, as they said, to make amends for the lark and one
of the robins which had died. Once more the little _May Flower_ was
ploughing the ocean with her head to the east. People at Rio were very
much astonished when they heard of the long voyage we were making.

"I would rather be in that little craft with a clear conscience, than in
many a ship ten times her size which I have met at sea," I answered, and
it was proved that I was right.

As we were losing sight of the coast of South America, my wife, looking
back at it again, expressed her thankfulness that we were not compelled
to live among its inhabitants.

"But," said I, "it's a beautiful place, Martha. So is this world a very
beautiful world, but it's man that mars it. If man were free from sin,
it would be next to heaven itself."

For ten days or more we had a beautiful run to the eastward. I never
saw the little craft go along so fast; it was difficult to believe that,
with the smooth sea we now had, we were out in mid-ocean, hundreds of
miles from any land.

We were in the latitude of the Cape of Good Hope, and expected to make
the land in a few days, when the weather gave signs of changing. We had
hitherto been greatly favoured, and I had, with the rest, begun to
believe that we should escape bad weather altogether. The sea got up,
and the wind went on increasing, but we got the schooner under snug
canvas in good time. As we were undermanned, it was necessary to be
very careful in that respect. I told my wife and children that they
must look out for a regular gale, such as they had not been accustomed
to, and make everything fast in the cabins. We got the sheep slung, so
as to prevent them being knocked over, and then at last batt