As we approached the line, the wind became more easterly, and the weather clearer, and in twenty days from San Diego,—­

Saturday, May 28th, at about three P.M., with a fine breeze from the east-southeast, we crossed the equator.  In twenty-four hours after crossing the line, we took, which was very unusual, the regular southeast trades.  These winds come a little from the eastward of southeast, and with us they blew directly from the east-southeast, which was fortunate for us, as our course was south-by-west, and we could thus go one point free.  The yards were braced so that every sail drew, from the spanker to the flying-jib; and, the upper yards being squared in a little, the fore and main top-gallant studding-sails were set, and drew handsomely.  For twelve days this breeze blew steadily, not varying a point, and just so fresh that we could carry our royals; and during the whole time we hardly started a brace.  Such progress did we make that at the end of seven days from the time we took the breeze, on—­

Sunday, June 5th, we were in lat. 19 29’ S., and lon. 118 01’ W., having made twelve hundred miles in seven days, very nearly upon a taut bowline.  Our good ship was getting to be herself again, and had increased her rate of sailing more than one third since leaving San Diego.  The crew ceased complaining of her, and the officers hove the log every two hours with evident satisfaction.  This was glorious sailing.  A steady breeze; the light tradewind clouds over our heads; the incomparable temperature of the Pacific,—­ neither hot nor cold; a clear sun every day, and clear moon and stars every night, and new constellations rising in the south, and the familiar ones sinking in the north, as we went on our course,—­ ``stemming nightly toward the pole.’’ Already we had sunk the North Star and the Great Bear, while the Southern Cross appeared well above the southern horizon, and all hands looked out sharp to the southward for the Magellan Clouds, which, each succeeding night, we expected to make. ``The next time we see the North Star,’’ said one, ``we shall be standing to the northward, the other side of the Horn.’’ This was true enough, and no doubt it would be a welcome sight, for sailors say that in coming home from round Cape Horn, or the Cape of Good Hope, the North Star is the first land you make.

These trades were the same that in the passage out in the Pilgrim lasted nearly all the way from Juan Fernandez to the line; blowing steadily on our starboard quarter for three weeks, without our starting a brace, or even brailing down the skysails.  Though we had now the same wind, and were in the same latitude with the Pilgrim on her passage out, yet we were nearly twelve hundred miles to the westward of her course; for the captain, depending upon the strong southwest winds which prevail in high southern latitudes during the winter months, took the full advantage of the trades, and stood well to the westward, so far that we passed within about two hundred miles of Ducie’s Island.