vations of the celestial bodies as you
traverse the ocean. I offer you this gift on the condition that you
accept another one. It consists of these two stout volumes of blank
paper, and I shall expect you to do your best to fill them with the
result of the observations you make during your voyages and travels. I
want you to keep not merely an ordinary sea-log, remember, but a
complete journal, as diffuse as you can. Never trust to your memory.
Points which at the time you fancy you will never forget are often
completely obliterated in a few months. I have frequently myself found
this to be the case. So put down everything worth noting as soon after
it has occurred, or you have seen it, as possible; and especially
understand that no point connected with natural history, or science
generally, is too trivial to be noted. Great and important truths are
often discovered by what at first might have appeared a collection of
trivialities."

I repeat these remarks of my master's, because I think that they may be
of use to my readers, as I certainly found a very great advantage in
following his advice. He gave me also a number of pocket-books with
pencils, for producing indelible writing, which I also found very
useful. Other friends gave me books to form a complete sea-library;
indeed, I strongly suspected, from their character, that my master had
assisted in their selection. I need not say that I was very grateful
for all these numerous marks of kindness, and it made me very happy and
proud to feel that I was so much esteemed by my companions; at the same
time, I daresay I owed some of the kindness I received to the
commiseration my friends felt for me in consequence of the misfortunes
which had overtaken my family. Nearly everybody had given me something,
except my friend, Henry Raymond. I knew that his means were not large;
but still, I felt sure that he would wish to make me some trifling
present or other. After all my treasures had been collected, I found
him standing by my side.

"Come along, Ralph," he said, with the pleasant smile which constantly
lighted up his countenance; "I want to give you something which you will
like and value." He was leading me towards the courtyard at the back of
the house. "I wish that I could go with you myself, that we might take
care of each other; but as I cannot do that, I beg that you will take
Solon with you. He will fight bravely in your cause, and will, I am
sure, pr