The ship in which I left the Sandwich islands was called the Duke of Portland, commanded by captain Spence. She had procured a cargo of about one hundred and fifty tons of seal oil, and eleven thousand skins, at the island of Guadaloupe, on the coast of California, and had put into Wahoo for the purpose of procuring refreshments.

Every thing being ready, we sailed from Hanaroora on the 4th of March, and stood to the southward with pleasant weather.

In the beginning of April we descried the mountains of Otaheite, but did not touch at that island.

About a week before we doubled Cape Horn, we saw two large whales, and the boats were hoisted out in the hope of taking them, but it began to blow so hard that the attempt proved unsuccessful.

Early in May we passed Cape Horn; the captain stood as far south as the latitude of 60, and we never saw the land. Although the season was far advanced we did not experience the smallest difficulty in this part of the voyage.

A few days afterwards we made the Falkland islands; the land is of great height, and seems perfectly barren.

Upon the 25th we saw the coast of Brazil, and next day entered the harbour of Rio Janeiro.

Being apprehensive of a mortification in my legs, I applied for admission into the English hospital, which is situated in a small island that lies off the harbour. When captain Spence, who took me thither in his boat, mentioned that I had lost my feet in the service of the Americans, he was informed, that since that was the case, I must apply to them to take care of me.

I then went on board an American brig, called the Lion, the captain of which directed me to call on Mr. Baulch, the consul for that nation; by his interest I was admitted into the Portuguese hospital, de la miserecorde.

During the whole voyage I experienced the utmost attention and kindness from the captain and crew of the Duke of Portland; and when I quitted them they did not leave me unprovided for in a strange country; they raised a subscription, amounting to fifty dollars, which was paid into the hands of the Portuguese agent on my account.

I remained in the hospital ten weeks; the Portuguese surgeons, although they could not effect a cure, afforded me considerable relief, and I was dismissed as well as I ever expected to be.

I was now in a different situation from what I had been either at Kodiak or the Sandwich islands; I was in a civilized country, in which I must earn my subsistence by my own industry; but here, as well as there, I was under the protection of Divine Providence, and in all my misfortunes, I found friends who were disposed to assist me.

Mr. Baulch, the American consul, gave me a jar of the essence of spruce, which I brewed into beer; and having hired a negro with a canoe, I went about the ships, furnishing them with that, and other small articles of refreshment.

While engaged in this employment, I went on board the ship Otter, returning from the South Seas, under the command of Mr. Jobelin, whom I had seen in the same vessel at the Sandwich islands. He informed me that he had visited Wahoo a few months after my departure, and found all my friends in good health, except Isaac Davis, who had departed this life after a short illness.

In this manner I was not only enabled to support myself, but even to save a little money. I afterwards hired a house at the rent of four milreas a month, and set up a tavern and boarding house for sailors; this undertaking not proving successful, I gave it up for a butcher’s stall, in which I was chiefly employed in supplying the ships with fresh meat. This business proved a very good one, and I was sanguine in my hopes of being able to raise a small sum; but an unfortunate circumstance took place, which damped all my hopes, and reduced me again to a state of poverty.

In the night of the 24th July, my home was broken into, and I was robbed of every farthing I had, as well as of all my clothes.

As the purchase of carcasses required some capital, I was under the necessity of giving up my stall for the present. I again took myself to my old trade of keeping a bum-boat, till I had saved as much as enabled me to set up the stall again.

I was much assisted by the good offices of a gentleman from Edinburgh, of the name of Lawrie, who resided in my neighbourhood; he took great interest in my welfare, and was of essential service by recommending me to ships, as well as by occasionally advancing a little money to enable me to purchase a carcase.

The state of my health, however, prevented me from availing myself of the advantages of my situation; the sores in my legs, although relieved, had never healed, and gradually became so painful as to affect my health, and render me unable to attend to any business.

In consequence of this, I determined to return home, in hopes of having the cure effectually performed in my native country.

On the 5th of February, 1812, I quitted Rio Janeiro, after a stay of twenty-two months. I came home in the brig Hazard, captain Anderson, and arrived in the Clyde on the 21st of April, after an absence of nearly six years.

After residing nearly four years in my native country, and having still a desire to visit the Sandwich islands, I left Scotland, in the American ship Independence, commanded by captain John Thomas, on the 3d of September, 1816, for New-York. We had sixty-three passengers, and after a very tedious voyage of fifty-three days, we arrived in good health at our port of destination. I had been led to believe that I should find no difficulty in getting a passage to the Sandwich islands from New-York; but after a short residence there, I did not see any prospect of obtaining a conveyance thither. My funds growing low, I commenced soliciting subscribers for my work. In this I met with considerable success, and was enabled to publish an edition of one thousand copies. But on account of the ulcers in my legs never healing, and being apprehensive of mortification, I was deterred from proceeding any farther. I therefore applied to the governors of the New-York city hospital for admittance, with the intention of having my legs amputated higher up, so that I might not be troubled with them in future. I was accordingly admitted on the 4th of November, 1817; and on the 20th of the same month, one of my legs was taken off a little below the knee. The second operation was performed on the 17th of January following; and I was enabled to leave the hospital on the 3d of April, 1818.

I still wished to return to the Sandwich islands, and having so far recovered as to be able to walk about with considerable ease, and the favourable appearance of my wounds indicating a thorough cure, I therefore made application to several gentlemen in New-York, by whose means my intentions were represented to the Prudential Committee of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. By their advice I removed to the institution belonging to that body, at Cornwall, Litchfield county, Connecticut, in order that I might there study under the Rev. Herman Daggett, and that I might become acquainted with several young men, in that place from the Sandwich islands; to the end, that if ever it should please Divine Providence to permit me to visit those islands again, I might be able to render them and the cause of religion, all the assistance that lay in my power, and that my influence might be exerted on the side of virtue; and, above all things, that I might be instrumental in forwarding the introduction of missionaries into those dark and benighted islands of the sea.