“September 29, 1798. This day news came of the destruction of the French fleet in the Mediterranean Sea, by Lord Nelson.”[3] Of this event you will read in history at some future time; but it was deemed very important at that time by the whole world. It was one of the most formidable checks received by the French after they had begun to overrun Europe.
This news, of course, was very interesting to our voyager; but, although excited by the political and military contests of the day, he did not forget the subject to which, from earliest years, he had devoted himself. You will perceive from the following extracts from his Journal, that he now was studying astronomy. In fact, he had been reading, during his previous voyages, many of the greatest works on mathematics and astronomy.
OBSERVATORY AT CADIZ.
“November 12. During our residence in Cadiz we formed an acquaintance with Count Mallevante, who, before the revolution, commanded a French frigate at Martinico, and at present is a post-captain in the Spanish navy. He carried us to the New Observatory, built on the Island of Cadiz, where we were shown all the instruments they had mounted. There were not any of them very new. The person who went with us was named Cosmo de Churruca. I promised to send him, on my arrival in America, the works of Dr. Holyoke on Meteorology. I gave him my method of working a lunar observation, which he was to print at the end of the Nautical Almanac.”
FRENCH PRIVATEERS.
“At half past four P. M., got under way, and beat out of the harbor of Cadiz, in company with three other American vessels, which sailed under the protection of the Astræa.” They were destined for Alicante, and consequently their course lay through the Straits of Gibraltar, up along the south-eastern coast of Spain. On the afternoon of the 14th, they fell in again with the English fleet, which, with those under their convoy, consisted of forty-five vessels. As the fleet was steering in the same direction, they kept company with it, being all bound for the Straits of Gibraltar. Next day they saw another convoy of twenty vessels, and two of those accompanying the Astræa joined it. The Astræa was obliged to fall behind, because the remaining vessel under its protection sailed too slowly. On the 18th the whole convoy entered the Straits, except one, which was chased by French privateers, ten of which could be counted in full view; but, on the approach of the Astræa, the enemy retreated.
FEARLESSNESS.
DANGERS FROM PIRATES.
The moon was shining brightly on the night of the 19th of November, 1799. Many times had the bell broken over the silent sea from the ship’s deck, telling of the passing hours, when suddenly the crew of the Astræa was called to quarters, for a suspicious sail was seen bearing down towards them. The cannon, of which nineteen were on board, were all cleared for action, and every sailor, placed at his post, watched anxiously as the privateer came rapidly towards them. Captain Prince assigned to Mr. Bowditch a station in the cabin, through which the powder was to be passed to the deck. When all on deck was ready, and that deep and solemn silence which always comes over every part of a ship that is just approaching the enemy, was beginning to creep over those on board the Astræa, the captain stepped for a moment into the cabin to see if everything was in order; and “there sat Mr. Bowditch at the cabin table, with his slate and pencil in hand, and with the cartridges lying by his side.” Entirely absorbed with his problem, he forgot all danger, thus showing that his love of science, even when in imminent peril, was superior to all feelings of fear. This anecdote, doubtless, will amuse you. It reminds me of the geometrician Archimedes, who lived two hundred years before Christ, who, as some of you may know, was slain by the soldiers of the Roman General Marcellus, when they sacked the city of Syracuse. Archimedes had labored much for his countrymen during the siege, but finally, it is said, became so engaged in his studies that he did not know that the soldiers had taken possession of the town until they attacked and killed him. Fortunately, in the case of Mr. Bowditch, no evil ensued. Captain Prince could not restrain himself, but burst into a loud laugh, and asked Mr. Bowditch whether he could make his will at that moment; to which question Mr. Bowditch answered, with a smile, in the affirmative. Captain Prince adds, “But on all occasions of danger he manifested great firmness, and, after the affair of the privateer (which, by the by, did not molest us), he requested to be stationed at one of the guns, which request was granted him.”