178 GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL. 



to such a height as to be almost lost to the view 

 of the passengers, who soon found them an effec- 

 tual means of relieving the tedium of a long sea 

 voyage, and naturally took a lively interest in 

 their welfare, but as they were in the habit of re- 

 turning regularly to the ship, no uneasiness was 

 felt during their occasional absence. At last, one 

 evening, after a longer flight than usual, one of 

 the falcons returned alone. The other the 

 prime favourite was missing. Day after day 

 passed away, and however much he may have 

 continued to regret his loss, Captain Johnson had 

 at length fully made up his mind that it was irre- 

 trievable, and that he should never see her again. 

 Soon after the arrival of the regiment in America, 

 on casting his eyes over a Halifax newspaper, he 

 was struck by a paragraph announcing that the 

 captain of an American schooner had at that 

 moment in his possession a fine hawk, which had 

 suddenly made its appearance on board his ship 

 during his late passage from Liverpool. The idea 

 at once occurred to Captain Johnson that this 

 could be no other than his much -prized falcon, so 

 having obtained immediate leave of absence he set 

 out for Halifax, a journey of some days. On 

 arriving there he lost no time in waiting on the 

 commander of the schooner, announcing the 

 object of his journey and requesting that he 



