The distance run, by log, from Hong-Kong to Anger, was just nineteen hundred forty-five and three-fourth miles, making us at that time exactly three thousand four hundred and ninety-six on our way home. This was done in a little over thirty days, including stoppage.
The learned Baron of Verulam has said: "It is a strange thing in sea voyages, when there is nothing to be seen but sea and sky, that men should make diaries, and omit them in land travel, as if chance were fitter to be registered than observation." Now I have made my diary, both at sea and on shore, and copy from it:
At Sea, Sunday, April 11th, 1852.—Have now run down to the southward of the Island of Madagascar, and are in the same longitude, having passed the Isle of France, or the "Mauritius," and Bourbon safely. Hurricanes prevail off these islands, but we have only had one small blow. Last Sunday caught a shark, about seven feet and a half long. Some of the men ate part of him.
Beautiful "Isle of France," degraded into Mauritius by the Dutch in honor of their Stadtholder Maurice, but made celebrated by the pen of Bernardin St. Pierre, as the scene of the life, loves and "fate of Paul and Virginia, and consecrated by their tomb!" Creative power of genius, thus to constitute an insignificant island, far, far away amongst the distant waves of the Indian Ocean, a shrine to which pilgrims shall resort in honor of true and young and ill-starred love!
Bourbon, too, the Island of Rëunion—happy nomenclature—has also pleasant associations connected with its name.
Madagascar, however, from its importance, is worthy of a passing notice. It is one of the largest islands known. It covers, in the Indian Ocean, the spaces between latitudes 12° and 25° degrees south, and the longitudes 43° and 51° east of London; at a close calculation, has been found to fill up a superficies of over two hundred thousand square miles;—equal in extent to the Pyrenean peninsula, composed of Spain and Portugal. It has been but little explored; but treaties have been made with its reigning powers by both Great Britain and the United States.
Monday, April 19th.—At sea, in latitude 35° 13', about one degree south of the Cape. Have been prevented from making entries in diary by rough weather, and heartily joined the schoolmaster in his wish, that "if Britannia ruled the waves, she would bring them more parallel to the 'Line!'"
Sunday, April 25th, 1852.—Are now off the Cape of Good Hope, called by its discoverer, Diaz, Cabo Tormentoso, or the Tormenting Cape, from the storms he encountered in its latitude. And well was it named, too, in our case; for here we are, with a wind right in our teeth, trying to beat up to Table Bay, and chasseeing to the Cape, as if to a stationary partner.
Just sixty days from China, and have run by reckoning seven thousand one hundred and forty-five miles,—our course giving us five thousand one hundred and ninety-four and one-half miles from Anger.
On Friday night last, while becalmed off Cape Algulhas, caught a number of very fine fish on the Algulhas banks. One kind was called "Cape Salmon;" another species was known at Cape Town by the name of "King Clip."