THE ALBATROSS. 443 



cleaned, their weight is comparatively trifling. With 

 this light body, and an immense spread of wing, our 

 surprise is lessened at their being able to venture so far 

 from land; Captain King* having met with them almost 

 a thousand miles from the nearest shore. 



It is a pleasing relief to the eye, when sailing over the 

 landless oceans frequented by the Albatross, and where, 

 except now and then a passing sea-bird, nothing meets 

 the sight but a tract of boundless water, to observe this 

 superb bird sailing in the air, in graceful and elegant 

 movements, seemingly under the influence of an invisible 

 power; for, when once elevated in the air, there is 

 scarcely any visible movement of its wide wings. 

 Rising, as if some concealed power guided its various 

 motions, without any muscular exertion of its own, and 

 then descending, it sweeps the air close to the stern of 

 the vessel, with an independence of manner as if it were 

 monarch of all it surveyed. 



It has been remarked by an observer, who has given 

 the best account of these birdst, that they could lower 

 themselves even to the water's edge, and then again rise 

 without any apparent impulse. Whether with or against 

 the wind, seems to be a matter of indifference to them. 

 No tempest troubles the Albatross, for he may be seen, 

 with equal vigour, sportively wheeling in the blast and 

 carousing in the hurricane. Of this noble bird it may 

 indeed be literally said, 



His march is o'er the mountain wave, 

 His home is on the deep. 



In the gale he will sweep, occasionally, the rising billows, 

 and seem to delight in the spray bursting over him. 

 Tired, in truth, they really are; but should they be, 

 though never seen to swim, they can, in consequence of 

 their feet being webbed and remarkably large, walk on 

 the surface of the water when it is smooth, with hardly 



* KING'S Australia, vol. ii. 



t BERET'S Wanderings in New South Wales. 



