the skies. I remained for a long time with my eyes fixed in the
direction of that land which I no longer saw, and almost despaired of
ever seeing again; I made serious reflections on the nature and
consequences of the enterprise in which I had so rashly embarked; and I
confess that if at that moment the offer had been made to release me
from my engagement, I should have accepted the proposal with all my
heart. It is true that the hopeless confusion and incumberment of the
vessel's deck, the great number of strangers among whom I found myself,
the brutal style which the captain and his subalterns used toward our
young Canadians; all, in a word, conspired to make me augur a vexatious
and disagreeable voyage. The sequel will show that I did not deceive
myself in that.

We perceived very soon in the S.W., which was our weather-side, a vessel
that bore directly toward us; she made a signal that was understood by
our captain; we hove to, and stood on her bow. It turned out to be the
American frigate _Constitution_. We sent our boat on board of her, and
sailed in company till toward five o'clock, when, our papers having been
sent back to us, we separated.

The wind having increased, the motion of the vessel made us sea-sick,
those of us, I mean, who were for the first time at sea. The weather was
fine, however; the vessel, which at first sailing was lumbered in such a
manner that we could hardly get in or out of our berths, and scarcely
work ship, by little and little got into order, so that we soon found
ourselves more at ease.

On the 14th we commenced to take flying fish. The 24th, we saw a great
quantity of dolphins. We prepared lines and took two of the latter,
which we cooked. The flesh of this fish appeared to me excellent.