86 INVALIDISM AND ITALY. 



hour of the day, the chances are much against his ever 

 becoming an unadulterated dandy." 



When he had passed the Pillars of Hercules, and found 

 himself among the new appearances and influences of the 

 great inland sea, the spirit of the voyager revived. 



" Sept. 1. — Since we entered the Straits, we have found 

 the climate quite another thing. When the wind does 

 blow, it comes upon us as if from a sea of warm milk — ■ 

 how different from the easterly gales of Caledonia ! The 

 heat is now, indeed, rather too great for anything like 

 comfort in the cabin ; but then we have got a spare sail 

 rigged up upon four poles over the quarter-deck, so that 

 we may enjoy the sea breezes under a delightful awning 

 from morn to night. This evening several porpoises 

 rushed past us at a gallop, and most opportunely raised a 

 flock of flying-fish within a few yards of the vessel. They 

 fly in a straightforward arrowy fashion, somewhat in the 

 style of the kingfisher, and their sides glitter like fine 

 silver. I took them at first for a flock of sandpipers fly- 

 ins; towards the shore. 



"Sept. 8. — There have been many of Mother Carey's 

 chickens in the wake of the vessel all day. Took a shot 

 at one, and brought him down — the first I have handled 

 in a recent state. I observed that the eye is furnished 

 with a nictitating membrane, like an owl's, which I don't 

 remember to have seen in the description of the bird- 



