3o6 A VOYAGE TO Book IX. 



M. y, when the wind fettled to the eaftward, we ileered 

 N. and N. one qii:.rter eifterly to the 15th, when find- 

 ing ourfelves in tne laritude of 4 deg:. S. being nearly 

 tht fame with that of Fernando de Ñorona, we ftood 

 dirtólly W. a;-:i having fight of it at half an hour 

 after nine in the morning of the 2 lit of May, all the 

 frigates at half an hour after three in the evening» 

 came to an anchor in the road, to our no fmall joy. 

 This voyage had continued an hundred and firi:y days, 

 and been attended with great fatigue and anxiety, on 

 account of the bad condition of our frigate. For more 

 than once we had the greateft reafon to apprehend ihe 

 v;ouId founder before v^e had time to provide for our 

 fafety. 



From the 6th of April, we faw no birds till the 

 fecond of May, when being in the latitude of so'' 18', 

 we faw an Rabiahorcado, which the French call Tail- 

 leu r, the taylor, from the form and motion of its tail. 

 ' This bird is about the fize of a wood pigeon, with a 

 ihort neck, a proportionate bill, and its wings very 

 long, broad, and curved. The tail feemed to be com- 

 poled of very few feathers, and thcfe dividing at the 

 root, fo as to reprefent a pair of fciifars opened; but 

 when it is on the wing, it fiiuts and opens them at 

 pleafure, reprcfenting the manner of ufing that inilru- 

 menr. The two blades, of which the tail confiils, are 

 very long in proportion to the body of the bird j and 

 together v>/ith the whole plumage are of a fine gloííy 

 black, except the breait, which is a fort of very pale 

 aih colour. It fíies very fwiftly, and generally high, 

 never being fecn low, but when hovering about a ihip, 

 as if intending to fettle on it. 



On the 4th of May we faw a Pardela as large as a 

 wood pigeon J the feathers on its belly, breaft, and, un- 

 der the wings, were an afii colour; and thole on the 

 neck, head, and upper part of the wings, of a dark 

 brown. From this day, when in the latitude of 19'^ 40', 

 till the tv/elfth, when we came into ten degrees, we con- 



itantlv 



