70 THE ISLAND OF ST. PAUL's. 



chimerical or otherwise, is still a favorite theme 

 amongst the whalemen who frequent this latitude ; 

 and in January, 1856, a wdiale-ship that then lay at 

 the Vasse, had engaged one of the Tuscany's former 

 crew, and anticipated having a search for it. 



Our second mate w^eut ashore, near the spot 

 where the Tuscany was stranded, captured a right 

 whale bird, and procured a number of eggs. On 

 examining the bird, we found that the substance 

 composing its jaws exactly resembled right whale- 

 bone, and its tongue was precisely similar in shape 

 to that of the right whale. These peculiarities I had 

 often heard attributed to the bird, but considered 

 them fabulous, as did most of our ship's company ; 

 although many of them had been engaged in whaling 

 for years, but never previously had an opportunity 

 of making an examination. Having procured as 

 many fish as we could take care of for the nonce, at 

 eleven o'clock we returned to the barque and com- 

 menced cleaning and salting them. In the afternoon 

 we sent another boat in, and when all were taken 

 care of we found that we had seven barrels, and 

 visions of good fare rose before us ; but alas, for the 

 uncertainty of human expectations — three months 

 afterward the wliole of them spoiled, and we were 

 forced to consign them to Davy Jones' locker. 



The next morning after our fishing excursion we 

 saw right whales and the Island of St. Paul's. The 

 whales we lowered away for and chased, w^ithout 

 success. The Island of St. Paul's lies in the same 

 longitude as Amsterdam, but is a degree farther 

 north. Like Amsterdam, it is barren, but is occu- 

 pied by a French comj^any, whose agents reside here 



