Throughout the day a provokingly light wind
prevailed, and at eight o'clock, a small fishing schooner, which we
passed, told us we were nearly abreast of Chatham lights. Just
before midnight, a light land-breeze sprang up, which carried us
well along; and at four o'clock, thinking ourselves to the northward
of Race Point, we hauled upon the wind and stood into the bay,
west-northwest, for Boston light, and commenced firing guns for a
pilot. Our watch went below at four o'clock, but could not sleep,
for the watch on deck were banging away at the guns every few minutes.
And, indeed, we cared very little about it, for we were in Boston Bay;
and if fortune favored us, we could all "sleep in" the next night,
with nobody to call the watch every four hours.
We turned out, of our own will, at daybreak, to get a sight of land.
In the grey of the morning, one or two small fishing smacks peered out
of the mist; and when the broad day broke upon us, there lay the low
sand-hills of Cape Cod, over our larboard quarter, and before us,
the wide waters of Massachusetts Bay, with here and there a sail
gliding over its smooth surface.
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