ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC, 187 



the deck. I find, for myself, that I must for the present consent 

 to relinquish an erect and dignified carriage, and adopt the less 

 graceful, but safer method of clinging to the rails, &c., to assist 

 locomotion. One thing, however, I cannot but feel thankful for, 

 which is, that I have never felt in the least degree sea sick ; and 

 having so far escaped, I have no apprehension for the future. 



Saw, in the afternoon, a large sperm, whale, lazily rolling 

 about a quarter of a mile ahead of the vessel. It occasionally 

 spouted up a stream of water to the height of six or seven feet, 

 but was perfectly quiescent until wc approached near it, when it 

 suddenly sank away and was lost to sight. 



20th. — We observe constantly around us several species of 

 dark albatross, pufiins, petrels, &c. They follow closely in our 

 wake, sailing over the svirges with astonishing ease and grace, 

 frequently skimming so near the surface that the eye loses them 

 for an instant between the swells, but at such times they never 

 touch the water, although we not un frequently see them resting 

 upon it. 



22d. — The weather has become very mild, the thermometer 

 ranging from 65° to 75°, indicating our approach to the tropics ; 

 and as a further proof of it, we saw, this morning, a beautiful 

 tropic bird, (Ph(Pton.) It sails around the vessel with an easy, 

 graceful sweep, its long train being very conspicuous, and suffi- 

 ciently distinguishing it from a tern, which, in other respects, it 

 closely resembles. Its voice is very much like that of the great 

 tern, {Sterna hirundo,) being a harsh, loud, and gutteral croak, 

 emitted while sailing high, and 'vith its head curved downwards, 

 examining the surface of the sea in search of its finny prey. 



SOth. — For the last four or five days we have been making 

 but little headway, having been, occasionally, almost becalmed, 

 and not going at any time more than two, or two and a half 

 knots. The weather is so warm that our upper garments have 

 become uncomfortable, the mean of the thermometer being about 



