We Had Evidently Made Great Progress,
And Had Good Hope Of Being Soon Up With The Cape, If We Were Not
There Already.
We could put but little confidence in our reckoning,
as there had been no opportunities for an observation, and we had
drifted too much to allow of our dead reckoning being anywhere
near the mark.
If it would clear off enough to give a chance for
an observation, or if we could make land, we should know where we
were; and upon these, and the chances of falling in with a sail
from the eastward, we depended almost entirely.
Friday, July 22d. This day we had a steady gale from the southward,
and stood on under close sail, with the yards eased a little by the
weather braces, the clouds lifting a little, and showing signs of
breaking away. In the afternoon, I was below with Mr. H - - -,
the third mate, and two others, filling the bread locker in the
steerage from the casks, when a bright gleam of sunshine broke
out and shone down the companion-way and through the skylight,
lighting up everything below, and sending a warm glow through the
heart of every one. It was a sight we had not seen for weeks, - an
omen, a god-send. Even the roughest and hardest face acknowledged
its influence. Just at that moment we heard a loud shout from all
parts of the deck, and the mate called out down the companion-way to
the captain, who was sitting in the cabin.
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