24 May 1809
Wednesday 24th.. At 4 o'clock this afternoon we lost sight of good old England; being abreast of and having taken our final departure from the Lizard, (the Southernmost point of Great Britain) about an hour before. The wind fair, and Steering out proper course at W.S.W. --- [O]n the 27th.. the weather alter'd much for the worse, it blew extremely hard for two days, and was against us; with a heavy Sea. --- I suffer'd much, being in a weak state of health, and Sea Sick; we were at this time chased by two large Ships, which did not answer the private Signals, this occasion'd much uneasiness to me & the other Ladies, I found afterwards that there were new Signals, which the Ships at Sea had not time to be made acquainted with. [F]or these two alarming Ships turn'd out to be Friends; indeed it is a gratifying sight to every English person to see how the Ships of their Country possess the dominion of the Seas, all the way we have come we have occasionally met fine Ships of War as so many safeguards at different stations to smaller vessels. [T]hose Ships we have seen belonging to other nations have all been small Traders. ----
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