horage, till, having cleared the headlands,
and caught the fair breeze which blew without, they bounded over
the water with the speed of eagles, and long before dark the
coast of Jamaica had disappeared.

There is something in rapidity of motion, whether it be along a
high road or across the deep, extremely elevating; nor was its
effect unperceived on the present occasion. It is true that
there were other causes for the high spirits which now pervaded
the armament, but I question if any proved more efficient in
their production than the astonishing rate of our sailing.
Whether the business we were about to undertake would prove
bloody or the reverse entered not into the calculations of a
single individual in the fleet. The sole subject of remark was
the speed with which we got over the ground, and the probability
that existed of our soon reaching the point of debarkation. The
change of climate, likewise, was not without its effect in
producing pleasurable sensations. The farther we got from
Jamaica, the more cool and agreeable became the atmosphere; from
which circumstance we were led to hope that, in spite of its
southern latitude, New Orleans would not be found so oppressively
hot as we had been taught to expect.

The breeze continuing without interruption, on the 29th we came
in sight of the island of Grand Cayman. It is a small speck in
the middle of the sea, lying so near the level of the water as to
be unobservable at any considerable distance. Though we passed
along with prodigious velocity, a canoe nevertheless ventured off
from the shore, and making its way through waves which looked as
if they would swallow it up, succeeded in reaching our vessel.
It contained a white man and two negroes, who brought off a
quantity of fine turtle, which they gave us in exchange for salt
pork; and so great was the value put upon salt provisions, that
the bartered a pound and a half of the one for a pound of the
other. To us the exchange was very acceptable, and thus both
parties remained satisfied with their bargain.

Having lain-to till our turtle-merchants left us, we again filled
and stood our course. The land of Cayman was soon invisible; nor
was any other perceived till the 2nd of December, when the
western shores of Cuba presented themselves. Towards them we now
directed the ship's head, and reaching in within a few miles of
the beach, coasted along till we had doubled the promontory,
which forms one of the