I sat long on the starlit deck that night, thinking of ships, and watching the constellations on their voyage.
On the following day, September 13, a large four-masted ship passed some distance to windward, heading north.
The sloop was now rapidly drawing toward the region of doldrums, and the force of the trade-winds was lessening.

I could see by the ripples that a counter-current had set in.

This I estimated to be about sixteen miles a day.

In the heart of the counter-stream the rate was more than that setting eastward.
September 14 a lofty three-masted ship, heading north, was seen from the masthead.

Neither this ship nor the one seen yesterday was within signal distance, yet it was good even to see them.