HOOKING AN ALBATROSS. 13 



overboard. Sharky being unable to grab either the fowls 

 or their masters, had been obliged to satisfy the cravings 

 of his hungry maw with this unsatisfactory substitute. 

 I cut a slice out of him ; it was like a skein of wire, so 

 tough and unfishlike. 



Some preserved salmon that we had for dinner on the 

 following day was pronounced by a youngster " very good 

 indeed, and better than he could have fancied a shark 

 would taste :" and he very likely believes to this day that 

 boiled shark is very like salmon, as we were all careful not 

 to inform him of his error. 



As we neared the Cape, we were occasionally inspected 

 by some gigantic albatrosses, whose spectral appearance, 

 as they sailed rapidly along with outstretched and rigid 

 wings, and passed from side to side of the horizon in 

 sweeping circles, seemed like the ghosts of ancient mari- 

 ners thus condemned monotonously to pass their time till 

 the day of judgment. 



When near the island of Tristan D'Acunha we caught 

 one with a little hook and a line ; we brought him on 

 deck, and, after inspecting his personal appearance and 

 ten-feet-wide wings from tip to tip, threw him overboard, 

 when he was furiously attacked by his cousins, who, 

 Chinaman-like, seemed to think death the only fit reward 

 for his having dealt with the white travellers. 



We entered Table Bay in the night, just in time to 

 escape a strong south-easter that sprung up at daybreak, 

 enveloped the Table Mountain with its dense white 

 cloth of clouds, and sent volumes of dust from the flats 

 pouring into the town, to the blinding of every unfortu- 



