just taking the bar, and rapidly nears us. At
four P.M., just as the Frenchman came abreast of us, and her crew
raised a cheer, the Shakspeare launched forward, as though just sent
from the stocks; and, as all hands of us were on deck, with the poop and
forecastle both well manned, we gave forth an involuntary hurrah, in
which the crew of the Coromandel, who were all forward watching the
result, heartily joined: the cheer of the dashing little Frenchman was
in this way fairly drowned.

Our captain seems a smart hand; he had his sails trimmed, and the
Shakspeare heading seaward, in less than no time: nor was it long before
we reached the boundary line of the great river. At some six or seven
miles from the bar a well-defined line is observable, stretching away
north and south, with a regular curve outward. On all sides within this
arch the water is thick and muddy, and immediately without this is the
clear deep blue of the gulf; yet the influence of the current of the
Mississippi is sensibly felt full seventy miles to the southward, its
strength being found to set in that direction.

Our breeze freshened gradually all the evening, until by midnight it
blew a rattler; but, thank Heaven, we are clear of the mud; no more
lead-lines bandying about the decks.

_Friday, 27th._--How time flies! and yet how same has been my existence
since this day week,--five days of expectation, with but two of action;
yet the fifty-secondth part of the year is away scarce marked! One is
here actually compelled to turn back to the date of one's last _mem._
and look what day one has fallen on, so hard is it to keep note of time
without occupation, or the remembrancers that surround us in our daily
affairs on shore. I do not wonder at Crusoe notching his stick; the
wonder is, that he should have been able to decide whether or no to-day
was yesterday.

All is calm and fixed above, with a long easterly swell rolling under
our foot, which does not seem likely to subside, although, as our
captain informs me, unusual at this time of year. Large logs of
blackened timber drift about, reminding us of the great river within
whose influence we yet unhappily remain, although but twenty hours of
fair wind would lead us round the Tortugas, within the influence of the
gulf-stream. Employed all my morning shooting at bottles as empty as
myself; this, with eating, drinking, and _ecarte_, forms the amusement
and occupation of the day. I have heard of people