Yielding to the idea that a voyage in a sailing vessel had certain charms beyond the transit in a steamer, and reckoning that with wind and wave in my favour there would be little material difference in time; considering, moreover, that in these low latitudes the weather in early autumn is fine and unbroken, I came to my decision, and proceeded forthwith to secure my passage by this route to Europe.
Have I done right or wrong?
Whether I shall have reason to regret my determination is a problem to be solved in the future.

However, I will begin to record the incidents of our daily experience, dubious as I feel whether the lines of my chronicle will ever find a reader..