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SOUTH AMERICA

AND

THE PACIFIC.

CHAPTER I.

Farewell to England-Lord Mount Edgecumbe's gardens-Miseries of a sea-voyage-Sea-sickness and its cure- -Gun-room-Moustafa-French vessel in sight-Heavy swell-Porto Santo-Its first discovery-Arrival at Madeira.

August 2d, 1834, H. M. S. North Star, on her passage to Madeira.

BEING attached to H. M. mission at Rio de Janeiro, I took leave of England at Plymouth. I embarked, indeed, at Portsmouth, with Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton, who are

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going out to Buenos Ayres; but we had occasion to put into the harbour at Plymouth, that Mr. Hamilton might receive there his final instructions from the Foreign Office, and I took this opportunity of once more bidding England farewell, in Lord Mount Edgecumbe's beautiful gardens on the opposite side of the river to the town.

These grounds are laid out with great taste, and the flourishing condition of a variety of foreign shrubs, which are seldom found in these latitudes, seems to indicate a resemblance in soil and climate with those parts of the globe which are more favoured by the sun. I may mention, particularly, the great number of cork-trees which flourish admirably there, and grow into large timber.

I lingered long on the green velvet turf, which is England's boast, above all other

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