oodwin Sands, and was forced to cut away her masts to lighten her,
and get her clear off. The Ceres drifted almost on board us; we
slipped our cables, and with difficulty escaped the Goodwin Sands.

On the 1st of April the pursers joined their respective ships, and on
the 3d we made sail with a fair breeze, and soon cleared the English
channel. Nothing was now heard but confusion; the pilot having just
left the ship, the hoarse voice of the captain resounded through a
speaking trumpet, while the seamen were busy in making sail. We had a
fine steady breeze till we made the Bay of Biscay, when we had a
strong gale for three days.

After the hurry and bustle of the gale was over, we had a fine steady
breeze; I then began to feel an inward pleasure, and to rejoice in the
predilection I had imbibed from my earliest years.

We arrived on the equinoctial about eight o'clock in the evening of
the 19th of April, when one of the oldest seamen is deputed Neptune;
when he went into the head and hailed the ship in the usual form,
Ship, hoa! ship, hoa! what ship is that? The chief officer replied,
The Hon. Company's ship Princess Charlotte of Wales, and that he would
be glad of his company on the morrow. Gladly would I have dispensed
with it. On his quitting the vessel, as is supposed, a pitch cask was
thrown overboard on fire, which had the appearance of a boat till lost
to view.

The next morning, about nine A. M., Neptune hailed the ship again,
when he was invited on board (from the head). On the fore-part of the
gang-way and after-part of the long-boat, a boom was placed across,
and a tarpauling was hung in form of a curtain, so that when they were
in readiness they took it down, and the procession moved on towards
the cuddy, twelve of the officers walking in the front, two by two
with staves (broomsticks); next followed Neptune's car, (a grating
with a chair covered with sheep skins) with Neptune, and his wife and
child, (a recruit's child, as we had 250 on board, of his majesty's
46th regiment) Neptune bearing in his hand the granes with forks
uppermost, and the representation of a dolphin on the middle prong,
and Neptune's footman riding behind (barber) his carriage, dragged by
the constables. The captain and officers came out to meet him, and
presented him with a glass of gin, which was on this occasion termed
wine. After the captain's health was drank, he desired them to proceed
to business, and to make as much haste as