heels had enabled us to get so far ahead
that the topsails of the nearest were already dipping. Of course, light
winds and smooth water made exactly our kind of weather; and the
enormous spread of our lighter sails caused the little craft to slip
through the water in quite an extraordinary manner, whenever we could
show them. There was just enough wind to barely ruffle the surface of
the gently-swelling ocean, yet our patent log told us we were going
rather over six knots, mainly through the persuasive influence of our
spinnaker and gigantic balloon-topsail.

At noon our observations showed that we were nearly a degree south of
the line; and I began to be sanguine that the breeze we now had would
run us into the trades. In this, however, I was disappointed; for about
sundown the wind fell so light that we barely had steerage-way. All
night long it continued the same, and the greater part of next day; and
for about sixteen hours I considered that we did not advance more than a
knot per hour.

Towards the close of that afternoon, however, when I came on deck to
take the first dog-watch, Bob directed my attention to the appearance of
the sky in the south-eastern quarter, announcing it as his opinion that
there was a look of the trades about it. And so it proved, for the
breeze gradually freshened, and drew more round from the eastward, and
by eight bells we were doing our nine knots, with a nice fresh breeze.

This was doubtless the first of the south-east trade-winds; for by
midnight it had so far freshened that, for the sake of our spars, it
became necessary to take in our spinnaker and balloon-topsail, and to
substitute for them the working jib and our jib-headed topsail. Even
this would have been deemed perilous sail for so tiny a craft by most
persons; but we were by this time thoroughly acquainted with the _Lily_,
and knew that she would carry with ease all the canvas that her spars
would bear.

Nothing particular occurred for the next two days. The wind held, and
continued to blow with a force which was, for us, a good, staggering
breeze, but without much sea; and we kept flying to the southward at a
pace which left even my impatience no reason for complaint.

On the second day after getting the breeze, we passed the Brazilian
mail-boat near enough to show our number in the yacht-list, and to ask
him, by signal, to report us "all well."

The next morning it was my watch on deck until noon. Bob had cle