24 
was the weather we experienced during the first three weeks 
ofthe voyage. After gazing so long on the blue expanse of 
the ocean, there is something exhilarating.in the aspect even 
of the most barren and inaccessible rock; and the sight of 
the gloomy island of St. Paul, obscured as it was by a thick 
veil of mist, was yet the more welcome to us, as it was the 
point from which we were to direct our course for a more 
genial climate. 
* 'Though it was the depth of winter when we made this 
voyage, and the sky almost constantly overcast, yet the 
quantity of rain that fell was inconsiderable; we had frequent 
showers, indeed, but they were neither heavy nor of long 
continuance. But it is naturally to be expected that the 
quantity of rain which falls on the sea should bear but a small 
proportion to that which the sudden variations of temperature, 
and the inequality and elevation of surface, cause to Roms qua 
on the solid parts of the globe. 
_ * From thetime we left the Cape, until we reached the Island 
of St. Paul, we were daily surrounded with flocks of ocean- 
birds, among which I recognized Diomedea exulans, spadicea, 
and fuliginosa, Procellaria pelagica, gigantea, equinoctialis, and 
Capensis. The last of these, known by the name of the Cape 
Pintado, is easily distinguishable from its congeners by the 
singular variegation of its plumage, and the comparative 
shortness of its wings. 
** What these birds chiefly subsist on, it iiuid be difficult 
to say; as we could observe no indication in our track of 
any species of fish likely to serve them as food. They are 
seen anxiously on the search all day long, never soaring to 
any height, but skimming close over the surface of the waves. 
The greediness with which they pick up such offals as happen 
to float in the wake of ships, is a proof that whatever may be 
the nature of their ordinary food, its Puppy s is at times - 
carious. 
** One of their articles of temporary resource we had more 
than once occasion to advert to, the dead carcasses of ceta- 
ceous animals. We never passed one of these that we did 
not observe surrounded by myriads of Albatrosses and Petrels, 
