Fewer, happily, are the days when
struggling is of no avail, when I am utterly and hopelessly
incapacitated, ignominiously and literally laid flat on my back, and
when no effort of will can enable me to do what I most wish to
accomplish. If only some physician could invent a sovereign remedy for
sea-sickness, he would deserve well of his country, and of mankind in
general.
_Monday, January 15th_.--I woke once or twice in the night, and felt
exactly as if I were being pulled backwards through the water by my
hair. We were rushing and tearing along at such a pace, against a head
sea, that it almost took one's breath away. But at noon we were
rewarded for all discomfort by finding that we had run 298 sea, or 343
land miles, in 24 hours, and that between 8.14 yesterday and 8.15
to-day we had made 302 knots, or 347 land miles--nearly 350 miles in
the 24 hours--under very snug canvas, and through a heavy sea. The
wind still continued fair and fresh, but the sea was much quieter, and
we all felt comparatively comfortable. More sails were set during the
afternoon. Some albatrosses and long-tailed tropic birds were seen
hovering about us. The moon begins to give a good light now, and we
found it very pleasant on deck this evening.
_Wednesday, January 17th_.--It was a fine warm morning, and we got the
children on deck for the first time for ten days.
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