I shall premise the causes of leaving my native country, and reasons for preferring the United States; in doing which I am only describing the misfortunes and fate of thousands of my countrymen.

I took a farm previous to the close of the late war (about 1813), on a seven years' lease, and of course at a high rent.  The year following, peace came, and with it ruin to nearly one-fourth of the agriculturists.  My landlord compelled me to hold the farm for the term I had taken it, with but a small and insufficient abatement of rent.  The consequence was, that with strict attention to economy and industry, at the close of my lease I had lost one-half of my little capital, the remains of which not being sufficient to stock the farm, I was obliged to give it up, although offered it at one-half the former rent.  I then took his Majesty's ministers' advice, that, "if farming would not answer, farmers must engage in some other business."  I engaged in another business, but through the shortness of my funds, and a combination of untoward circumstances, I lost the remainder of my property.  I now determined to leave a country that no longer afforded me a respectable and comfortable subsistence, thinking no person with one spark of independent spirit, could hesitate a moment in a choice between honorable, though even laborious, exertion and dangers, with independence, to a dronish uselessness in society, or a mean ignoble dependence on friends.

Van Diemen's Land and the United States presented me with a choice of place for my exile.  I weighed the inducements held out by each, deliberately, and their attractions counterpoised in the balance for some time, until the shortness and cheapness of the passage to the latter preponderated, and decided my choice: I then had not the least intention of going to Canada, a place I had been led to believe was frozen up two-thirds of the year, and scorched up the remainder; but on arriving in the United States, I procured better information, without seeking it.

In October, 1824, I engaged with an American captain of a brig, lying in the London Docks, bound to Baltimore, for a passage in the steerage, for six guineas, my finances not allowing me to go in the cabin; and being the only passenger on board (excepting two young American seamen who worked their passage) had the privilege of a small apartment to myself, dignified with the name of "stateroom."  Some days passed in providing provisions, &c. with great trouble in procuring the variety of articles wanted, to the best advantage, and on the 18th we sailed with the morning tide and a fair wind, down the river Thames; a frosty morning, but a fine pleasant day; numbers of vessels going out; and anchored off Gravesend for the night.  I had paid 11. to a person residing near the entrance of the Docks, for procuring me a "cocket" or clearance, which I am inclined to think was rather an imposition, but be said he would have procured the same for four or five passengers, had there been as many, for the same money; went on shore to the custom-house at Gravesend, to deliver the above cocket; was asked my name, and if an Englishman, and for a reference in London.  I had nothing to pay, nor was any certificate of my occupation or identity, required, as I had been led to expect; some officers came on board, but did not examine my trunks, merely asking if they contained wearing apparel and personals only.  The provisions I took for my passage were laid in for eight weeks' consumption, and I had no restriction in quantity or variety (there are restrictions in some ports respecting quantity, particularly if a considerable number of passengers are going in a ship); in the Appendix I have stated particulars at length.  We left Gravesend with a fair wind, and pretty good spirits, my thoughts ranging through the New World I had now fairly embarked for, and then returning again to the land of my nativity, friends, and former home, which, at times, would cause an involuntary sigh; but, the hopes and prospect ever-cheering fancy presented to my mind, dissipated all gloom, and I bade adieu to Old England without much regret.  The wind being ahead, we tacked and came to anchor off Margate for the night; in the morning beat up into the Downs, when the pilot left us; a New York packet-ship, the Trident, passed in fine stile, without tacking once, through her superior powers of sailing, and was in port three weeks before us; this may serve as a hint to emigrants to engage a passage in a good sailing vessel, which may be ascertained generally by inquiry, or by the sharpness of their bows.  I would also recommend every one, before engaging his passage in a ship, to inquire her age (from two to ten years is best), and to see if her sails, rigging, anchors, and cables are good, and also if the captain is steady, respectable, and agreeable; a middle-aged one I would generally prefer.

On leaving the Downs, we experienced a rough sea; which produced sickness in the captain as well as myself; the weather was quite warm, the thermometer being at 63; the wind increasing, we made considerable headway, and in two days lost sight of the Lizard Point, and a pigeon passed us fifteen miles from the land; a packet spoke us from the Straits, bound to Liverpool.  There is no regard paid to Sunday, as a sabbath, on board this vessel, indeed, sometimes it would be impossible; on the 26th, a heavy gale came on, and continued throughout the day; I could hardly get from my berth or help tumbling out; no life nor power to move—just enough to wish myself on some shore; the wind dropped in the night, but the sea continued to roll its mighty waves—"Oh wonderful thou art, great element!  And fearful in thy spleeny humours bent, Yet lovely in repose."

This was succeeded by a calm (three vessels in sight); ate a little gruel and a pancake only; a good deal, of the latter used in the cabin.  October 29th, another strong gale during the night, in which we again "lay too:" wind southwest, which drove us in sight of Cape Clear, in Ireland, by the morning, and in the heavy squall which followed, we had near been capsized through the negligence of the mate not taking in the sails soon enough; the captain, who was in bed when it came on, was instantly on deck, and gave the mate a deserved reprimand; one of the sails giving way, and the wind lowering, they were enabled to set all right again; the weather for several days various, and we felt a warmer climate, and longer days, north latitude 44: 29—longitude, 12: 30, west—thermometer 83.  On the evening of Nov. 2d, a bank of clouds arose northwest, and a breeze sprung up in our favour; we had now been thirteen days at sea, and its effects were such, that provisions were in some measure useless, tea, gruel, pudding, or a roasted potatoe being all I could take, with soda-water, or a little warm porter for drink; but at this time the weather became pleasant and warm, with light wind, thermometer 65, and the sea being nearly smooth, partially restored my health, and I made ample amends in eating after my long abstinence; we now got so far from land that the gulls and other sea birds left us, and experienced a variety of winds, but generally warm weather, and the voyager would have some pleasure in agreeable and decorous company; whales sported about, and other large fish were occasionally near the vessel.  The saline air caused my apparel to become damp and mouldy, and knives, &c. to rust; attention to these matters, assisted in passing time away, but occasional squalls would interrupt my business; in the twilight I often amused myself, when there was a gentle breeze fanning the surface of the water, by viewing the ripples it made with their white caps, it looked so much like an extensive fallow-field, with a slight scattering of snow on its unevennesses; and fancy, every busy, conjured up in the distance some well-known familiar spot for the imagination to feast on, till the darkening shades of night, or the approach and noise of sailors, aroused me from my reverie:—ten days thus passed, when we had a heavy breeze all day, and took in the main top-gallant sails.  Having seen of late a large brown bird of the gull species, which the sailors call a shear-water, and some small birds like martins they dominate Mother Cary's chickens.  The ship's store of potatoes became half rotten through having been dug before they were ripe, and put on board in a wet state.  Mine remained quite sound, but began to shoot, through the mild season.  Rather disagreeable weather followed this gale, and several seas broke over the vessel: then a dead calm ensued, and the ship rolled much; but a smart breeze soon sprung up, north by east, which carried us eight knots per hour, and was the first wind the sailors called fair, that is, lying aft, or at the hind part of the vessel.  The sea water is quite warm, and sparkles alongside the ship at night like fire; this appearance is caused, apparently, by the ship's side dashing the salt water into air-bubbles: some assert that this fiery appearance arises from a kind of animalculae, but this opinion is evidently erroneous, for this animalculae are never numerous enough in the water in any one place, and but occasionally to be met with at all, when these sparkles are everywhere to be seen in the night in salt water.  The air from the waves which break at the ship's side, on leaning over, rises in the face like the steam from heated water.  The vessel now made a good deal of water when the sea was rough.