SHARK AND PILOT-FISH. 25 



the effects of the punch, the greater number of the 

 passengers showed themselves on deck forming various 

 groups. About noon a shark came towards us, the 

 first we had seen for some days ; he swam quietly round 

 the ship, and then disappeared, notwithstanding all the 

 temptations we offered in the shape of large pieces of 

 meat, but which concealed an enormous hook. He was 

 accompanied by two pilot-fish, whose attachment to the 

 shark is wonderful. These pilot-fish are from twelve to 

 fourteen inches long, with stripes of blue and white of 

 about a finger's breadth across their back. I shot one, 

 but could not pick it up. The shark is sometimes 

 accompanied by five or six of these fish; he never 

 attacks them, and they probably point out his prey ; for 

 though we saw nothing more of the shark, it was most 

 likely under the ship, as the pilot-fish played about 

 under the bowsprit, a certain sign that he was not far 

 off. We also saw a sword-fish of twelve or fourteen 

 feet long. 



Several stormy petrels, or, as the English call them, 

 " Mother Carey's chickens," had followed us nearly all 

 the voyage, and were now swimming or flying about the 

 ship ; I shot one, and caught it in my net as it floated 

 past. They are about the size of swallows, and fly some- 

 thing like them; they are web-footed, dive well, and 

 have a large horny hole in the beak. 



The breeze sprang up again next day, but so light, 

 that the ship seemed to be asleep, — fancy her in a 

 night-cap and dressmg-gown. Our dear companions 

 became day by day more insupportable ; the liveliest, 

 who were always on deck, began to quarrel among 

 themselves ; the others merely vegetated ; they remained 

 3 



