"I strained my eye to no purpose, to follow the indentations of the
coast, according to the map before me, the great bays and promontories
could alone be perceived. The Burman Empire, in one of the
insignificant villages of which I had been confined for a few years,
was now reduced to a speck. The agreeable hours I had passed with the
Brahmin, with the little daughter of Sing Fou, and my rambling over
the neighbouring heights, all recurred to my mind, and I almost
regretted the pleasures I had relinquished. I tried with more success
to beguile the time by making notes in my journal, and after having
devoted about an hour to this object, I returned to the telescope, and
now took occasion to examine the figure of the earth near the Poles,
with a view of discovering whether its form favoured Captain Symmes's
theory of an aperture existing there, and I am convinced that that
ingenious gentleman is mistaken. Time passed so heavily during these
solitary occupations, that I looked at my watch every five minutes,
and could scarcely be persuaded it was not out of order. I then took
up my little Bible, (which had always been my travelling companion,)
read a few chapters in St. Matthew, and found my feelings
tranquillized, and my courage increased. The desired hour at length
arrived; when, on waking the old man, he alertly raised himself up,
and at the first view of the diminished appearance of the earth,
observed that our journey was a third over, as to time, but not as to
distance.
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