THE TRUE DOLPHIN. 61 



feet,) would in a minute or two be seen returning to 

 the crew of his comrades, as if in triumph. This 

 was repeated many times, and most probably by 

 different individuals. These dolphins accompanied 

 us for a considerable distance, and all their actions 

 appeared indicative of the most playful and frolic- 

 some disposition.* 



They frequently, however, are seen sailing along 

 with a slow and measured motion, just appearing 

 at the surface, by elevating the crown of the head 

 and then diving short, so as to make their bodies 

 describe the arch of a small circle, exposing them- 

 selves to view only from the crown of the head, to 

 a short distance behind the dorsal fin. Occasionally 



* « On the 20th of October, 1763, a hundred of these ani- 

 mals approached within pistol shot of our vessel, and ap- 

 peared to have come expressly for our diversion. They 

 made singular bounds into the air; several of them in their 

 caperings leaped three or four feet above the water, and turned 

 over and over several times, like professed tumblers. They 

 go almost always in troops, and swim as if arranged in bat- 

 tle array: they appear to move in search of the wind. We 

 have always remarked that they swim towards the point 

 whence the wind arises." Bom. Pernethy, Hist, d'un voyage 

 aux iles Malouines, i. p. 97, Sec. 



" I have seen one playing around the vessel while she was 

 going at the rate of two leagues an hour: the sailors said 

 that it foretold a squall; in fact, one came on at midnight." 

 St. Pierre , voyage a File de France, p. 52. 



In the instance above mentioned, witnessed by the author,, 

 the vessel was moving at the rate of eight miles an hour, 



