186 FROM THE ST. LAWRENCE ISLANDS 



A number of albatrosses flew round our ships : 

 the idea of many learned men now struck me, that 

 these birds fly from the north to Cape Horn to 

 build their nests. Common sense contradicts 

 this assertion. The Aleutians are accustomed to 

 search for the nests of the albatrosses on the sum- 

 mits of their mountains, and are very fond of the 

 esTffS. On the island of Oonemack and other volcanic 

 islands, the birds build so high that it is difficult 

 for the Aleutians to reach their nests. They shoot 

 them with arrows in autumn, when they are fattest: 

 their fat is esteemed a great delicacy. The black 

 albatrosses, which are by many thought to be the 

 young of the white ones, are asserted, by the Aleu- 

 tians, to be a distinct species. 



The 10th of September. To our great joy the 

 wind changed to-day to the north. At noon we 

 found the latitude 40° 10', longitude 14?° 18'. We 

 had spent eighteen days in constant tacking in a 

 thick fog, or fine rain ; and at the same time we 

 had such a violent storm, that we were obliged to 

 have recourse to the storm-sails. As the sun now 

 shone more brightly, we found our longitude, 

 accordingto the chronometers, five degrees different 

 from the longitude of our ship-reckoning. The 

 current, therefore, had in these eighteen days car- 

 ried us so far to the east. The heat, which sensibly 

 increased as we advanced quickly towards the 

 south, was very beneficial to my health. 



The 13th. When we were in latitude 36" \)\ 



