TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. QY 
rendered their appearance unnecessary to confirm 
what might be expected to follow. ‘The reason of 
their keeping in the vicinity of ships in tempestuous 
weather, is, very clearly, to get sheltered from the 
rage of the elements; this indeed-was very evidently 
visible from the manner in which they acted this af- 
ternoon, for they always took shelter under the ship’s 
Jee-quarter, which position they kept with the ut- 
most perseverance, as they never allowed the ship to 
go above thirty yards from them before they got up, 
and came skimming along the surface to the same 
place (relatively) which they occupied before. 
We saw also during the day, several flocks of an- 
other species of Peterel, that had not been seen before 
this voyage, called the Shearwater, (Procellaria Puf- 
Jinus, Lin.) These birds are supposed, from their cry, 
to be the birds of Diomede, so famous in antiquity 
from an affecting fable. Linnaeus, however, sup- 
posed that the Albatross is the bird of Diomede, and 
has, on that account, named it Diomeda. 
Thursday, 3d.— Nothing particular occurred to- 
day, except that, in the course of the afternoon the 
gale moderated, and before the evening the sea 
subsided very considerably. - I remarked that the 
stormy peterels mentioned yesterday, kept in our 
vicinity until the violence of the gale was over. 
Friday, 4th. — ‘This being the anniversary of our 
venerable Sovereign’s birth-day, his health was drank 
in our little community with as much respect, and 
cheerfulness, I may venture to say, as at any table 
in his extensive dominions; and in order that the 
men as well as the officers might be able to celebrate 
the day by an extra-bumper, the main-brace was 
es 
