TRISv^ND'ACUNHA. 85 



much fire in his little grey eyes, as a man of forty 

 A-fter the usual inquiries as to where we were from, 

 whither bound, and what we desired to obtain of 

 bin, he produced a list of articles which he desired 

 to obtain in exchange, valuing his potatoes, the 

 only article we had come there to purchase, at one 

 dollar per bushel. The calico, knives, and other 

 matters which he desired, were gotten out, and 

 lowering one of our boats, the captain proceeded 

 to the shore with the governor, to take dinner 

 with him, at his residence. 



In the course of the day our boats brought off 

 the supply of potatoes which our captain had 

 purchased, and at dark we stood off on our voyage. 



I think I never saw a more dreary view than 

 the island presents from the sea. The vast waves 

 of the Atlantic beat against the rock -bound sides, 

 with a sullen roar which almost deafens one. 

 The mountain's top is enveloped in a thick cloud 

 of mist, which fills the atmosphere sometimes far 

 down toward its base ; and the air, even on shore, 

 is strongly impregnated with the dampness pecu- 

 liar to the ocean. Huge, gloomy albatrosses, and 

 dreary little cape pigeons darted in great numbers 

 from place to place, their shrill, discordant screams 

 supplying an unpleasant falsetto to the bass f the 

 bellowing surf. 



So powerfully does the sea beat against the 

 rocks, that even in the village, toward evening 

 when the breeze had freshened to half a gale of 

 wind, on was obliged to speak at the top of his 



