42 VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



only by ftorms followed by winds, which blew 

 in lqualls from caft-north-eaft to fouth-fouth- 

 weft, after having gone round by the fouth. 



The petrel, or ftorm-bird (proceJlaria pelugica, 

 Linn.), is not fo certain a harbinger of ftorms, but 

 that its fudden appearance is fometimes followed 

 by calms for feveral days. We took a pleafure 

 in feeing thefe fmall birds come within a little 

 diftance of the item of our fhip, to feck their 

 food on the furface of the fea. 



Wc were concerned to find that the vege- 

 tables and fruits purchafed at Teneriffe did not 

 keep ; thc^heats and the humidity which are ex- 

 perienced in this region of calms, very rapidly 

 haficiicd their decompoiition ; it was to be prc- 

 fumed that, having been gathered under a pretty- 

 warm and dry iky, they would have kept better 

 than thole of Europe. 



A fmall fhark (fquahts car charlas , Linn.), which 

 was not more than a meter long, became a victim 

 to its voracity. Nothing comes amifs to this 

 aaimal it is prefTcd by hunger. When it 



was hauled in upon deck, it was foon cut in 

 pieces, and every one carried off his bit. The 

 fhark, however, is not good eating ; indepen- 

 dently of the repugnance which its fondnefs for 

 human flclh naturally infpires, it is rather diffi- 

 cult of digeftion: but at fca there is not much 



choice 



