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Monday, August the 5th. When I had risen, I ascended upon deck and saw with reluctance the fog was not yet wholly dissipated. The horizon seemed to be all in smoke. The sun, nevertheless, appeared from time to time in the morning, but its beams were too weak to be able to remove the fog. Casting my eyes upon the ocean as I usually do, I discovered a ship behind us. I asked the mate if she was the same as that of the other day. "Oh, no" answered he, "she is another and I am also ignorant who she is." She soon overtook us for being of a light construction, she had a speed superior to ours. When we were abreast the two captains held a parley together and had the following dialogue:

1. Captain of the Wm. P. Johnson: "From whence came you?"

2. Captain Hall: "From Havre de Grace."

1. "How many days out?"

2. "Forty-seven days." 1.

2. "From whence came you?"

1. "From Liverpool".

2. "How many days out?"

1. "Fifty days."

2. "Pray, what ship is that?"

1. "The Wm. P. Johnson bound for Philadelphia."

2. "How far to the westward do you suppose yourself?"

1. "68 Degrees"

2. "Did you get an observation yesterday?"

1. "No."

2. "Have you got any soundings?"

1. "Yes, 20 fathoms, have you?"

2. "Yes, 41 fathoms."

They had hardly ceased to ask one another the things which they reciprocally wished to know, when the rain coming on unlooked for, obliged us to descend into our cabin again. It soon ceased to rain, but a new fog yet more thick succeeded to it and concealed the ship from our sight. It augmented little by little so that it was night at noon day and we could hardly distinguish the objects around us. The deck was all in winter, we thought we were in the heart of winter. We passed almost all the remainder of the day in our cabin, and we were extremely tired, and to increase our unhappiness, we made not the smallest progress. The Captain knowing not in what longitude we were, directed during the night our ship towards the south, lest we should meet rocks or some other accidents towards the west, being already as he thought, near them. I conversed after prayers with M. Gallaudet for an hour, after which we went to bed, wishing each good night.

Tuesday, August the 6th. In the morning the fog began to remove and in the evening it was wholly dissipated. After sunset the Heavens, especially to the west, were embellished with fine and different colours. It was a good passage for the next day. No news on the sea nor in the ship nor around us, except that the Captain, for some days, sounded every evening and found it was one worth forty-one fathoms, another while fifty fathoms, and once profoundity could not be measured.

Wednesday, Augut the 7th. My presage of yesterday was realized. During all this day we enjoyed fair weather and a pleasant breeze. The wind was favorable and we made great progress. Towards one o'clock afternoon, we approached a fishing boat of the adjacent parts of Boston. The two captains spoke together as is usual. Ours asked the other who he was, when he had left land whence he came and where he went. In what longitude he supposed himself and whether he had got any soundings. Having received a satisfactory answer to the above enquiries, the talk ceased, but a moment after, Captain Hall recollecting that he had not asked all, renewed conversation and requested his colleague to give him some news from America. The latter said there was no news, nothing extraordinary, and that things continued in their usual course. The two ships were then so far the one from the other, that the conversation entirely ceased.

Thursday, August the 8th. Oh, great joy among us all! We are told that we are approaching America, that if the wind continues, we shall be in sight of New York in two days at latest. May God grant that this hope may be realized! But whatsoever He may please to command, we are all disposed to resign ourselves to His orders, and whatsoever may happen, I shall mention it tomorrow. It is very fine weather today and I hope it will continue to be so tomorrow.

The end.