116 A STRANGE RESTING-PLACE. 



great difficulty in obtaining possession of them. 1 

 carried them to the great cabin, and there, after 

 having lavished upon them caresses to which they 

 were rendered insensible by their state of uneasi- 

 ness, I restored them to liberty. Whether they 

 foresaw the storm which we encountered the fol- 

 lowing day, or whether, as no land was in sight, 

 they were afraid to trust themselves to the open 

 sea, I know not ; but, after a few moments of un- 

 certain flight, they returned by the same window 

 whence I had let them fly. From that time they 

 never quitted the great cabin ; and if, when 

 frightened by any noise, they went out of one of 

 the stern windows, or by a port, they were sure to 

 come back by another. Although of different 

 species, they lived in the greatest harmony. They 

 played upon those terrible machines which deal 

 death and destruction at a distance, and it was 

 upon a cannon even that was placed their little 

 provision of fresh water and crumbs of bread. It 

 served them also as a resting-place. Their confi- 

 dence was unbounded ; they fluttered over a table 

 at which twenty persons, somewhat noisy, were 

 daily seated, and with their chirping arid quick 

 motion enlivened our monotonous abode. On our 

 approach to the coast of the island of Candia, our 

 pretty and interesting navigators hastened to fly 

 away, and took leave of us by uttering a few shrill 



