THE DESERTED ORPHANS. 23 



they saw their peaceful dwelling removing from 

 the land, they seemed astonished, and hovered 

 anxiously about the ship, yet still fetched food 

 for their young from the shore, till the distance 

 became too great. 



The struggle between the instincts of self-pre- 

 servation and parental love then became per- 

 ceptible. They flew round the vessel, then va- 

 nished for awhile, then suddenly returned to 

 their hungry family, and stretching their open 

 beaks towards them, seemed to lament that no 

 food was to be found. This alternate disap- 

 pearing and returning continued some time, and 

 terminated in the parents returning no more ; the 

 sailors then took on themselves the care of the 

 deserted orphans. They removed them from 

 the nest where the parent's warmth was neces- 

 sary, to another lined with cotton, and fixed in 

 a warm place, and fed them with flies, which 

 seemed to please their palates very well. The 

 system at first appeared to have perfectly suc- 

 ceeded, and we were in hopes of carrying them 

 safely to America ; when, in spite of the most 

 careful attention, they fell sick, and on the eighth 



VOL. II. C 



