Sunday, October 5th.  It was our morning watch; when, soon after the day began to break, a man on the forecastle called out, ``Land ho!’’ I had never heard the cry before, and did not know what it meant (and few would suspect what the words were, when hearing the strange sound for the first time); but I soon found, by the direction of all eyes, that there was land stretching along on our weather beam.  We immediately took in studding-sails and hauled our wind, running in for the land.  This was done to determine our longitude; for by the captain’s chronometer we were in 25 W., but by his observations we were much farther; and he had been for some time in doubt whether it was his chronometer or his sextant which was out of order.  This land-fall settled the matter, and the former instrument was condemned, and, becoming still worse, was never afterwards used.

As we ran in towards the coast, we found that we were directly off the port of Pernambuco, and could see with the telescope the roofs of the houses, and one large church, and the town of Olinda.  We ran along by the mouth of the harbor, and saw a full-rigged brig going in.  At two P.M. we again stood out to sea, leaving the land on our quarter, and at sundown it was out of sight.  It was here that I first saw one of those singular things called catamarans.  They are composed of logs lashed together upon the water, the men sitting with their feet in the water; have one large sail, are quite fast, and, strange as it may seem, are trusted as good sea boats.  We saw several, with from one to three men in each, boldly putting out to sea, after it had become almost dark.  The Indians go out in them after fish, and as the weather is regular in certain seasons, they have no fear.  After taking a new departure from Olinda, we kept off on our way to Cape Horn.

We met with nothing remarkable until we were in the latitude of the river La Plata.  Here there are violent gales from the southwest, called Pamperos, which are very destructive to the shipping in the river, and are felt for many leagues at sea.  They are usually preceded by lightning.  The captain told the mates to keep a bright lookout, and if they saw lightning at the southwest, to take in sail at once.  We got the first touch of one during my watch on deck.  I was walking in the lee gangway, and thought that I saw lightning on the lee bow.  I told the second mate, who came over and looked out for some time.  It was very black in the southwest, and in about ten minutes we saw a distinct flash.  The wind, which had been southeast, had now left us, and it was dead calm.  We sprang aloft immediately and furled the royals and top-gallant-sails, and took in the flying jib, hauled up the mainsail and trysail, squared the after yards, and awaited the attack.  A huge mist capped with black clouds came driving towards us, extending over that portion of the horizon, and covering the stars, which shone brightly in the other part of the heavens.  It came upon us at once