VOYAGE OF THE GEEMANIA AND HANSA. 41 



To old sailors it is an unlucky bird ; they believe that its 

 appearance denotes storm, putting, as is usually the case, 

 the cause for the effect. The old idea, from which they 

 are called " Mother Carey's Chickens," is at least poetical. 



We chased the gulls but little ; only once a calm sea 

 rendered it possible to secure our booty, and this chance 

 was very nearly the cause of a misfortune on board the 

 Germania. 



It was the 4th of July about noon. Several gulls had 

 been circling over the after part of the ship, followed 

 with longing eyes by the doctor, w^ho was far too ready 

 to make a nearer inspection of one of them with his 

 knife. Dr. Copeland caught up a gun, and soon one 

 bird lost its life, and fell into the water close to the ship's 

 side. The men hurried forward to hook it out. This, 

 however, failed, and the ship glided quietly onwards. 

 To let down the boat would have taken too much time, as 

 during the storm it had been lashed with several ropes. 

 A sailor passing by, without thinking and certainly 

 most rashly, wishing to pick up the floating bird, before 

 any one thought or could prevent it, jumped dressed 

 as he was into the water, and swam with well practised 

 and strong arms towards it. In the meantime, the 

 vessel glided onwards, and (as we now noticed) with great 

 speed. This must soon have been apparent to our sailor, 

 whose chest would be cramped by the low temperature of 

 the water (474° ^Oj ^*^ *^^* ^® must soon have realized 

 his critical position. He reached the goal, and then in a 

 weak voice called for the boat. Meanwhile, Mr. Tramnitz 

 had called together the rest of the watch, turned the 

 ship's head to the wind, and thrown out the life-buoy. 

 Quickly two men climbed into the boat. Loosening the 



