166 THE OCEAN. 



it. If this unoffendinfij little bird does afford any 

 indication of a coming storm, discovered by its more 

 acute perceptions, which, nevertheless, I very much 

 doubt, why should not those who navigate the Ocean 

 receive its warning with gratitude, and make pre- 

 parations for security, instead of following it witli 

 profane and impotent curses ? " As well might they 

 curse the midniglit lighthouse that, star-like, guides 

 them on tlieir watery way, or the buoy that warns 

 them of the sunken rocks below, as this harmless 

 wanderer, whose manner informs them of the approach 

 of the storm, and thereby enables -them to prepare 

 for it." 



A frequent relief to the tedium of a long voyage 

 is found in the shoals of playful Dolphins {Del- 

 phinus dlpJiis, &c.), which so often perform their 

 amusing gambols around us. They may be discerned 

 at a great distance ; as they are continually leaping 

 from the surface of the sea, an action which, as it 

 seems to have no obvious object, is probably the 

 mere exuberance of animal mirth. When a shoal is 

 seen thus frolicking at the distance of a mile or two. 

 in a few moments, having caught sight of the ship, 

 down they come trooping with the velocity of the 

 wind, impelled by curiosity to discover what being 

 of monstrous bulk thus invades their domain. When 

 arrived, they display their agility in a thousand 

 graceful motions, now leaping with curved bodies 

 many feet into the air, then darting through a wave 

 with incredible velocity, leaving a slender wake of 

 whitening foam under the water ; now the thin back- 

 fin only is exposed, cutting the surface like a knife ; 



