TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 113 



ocean towards the equator, was stated by John 

 Seller* so long ago as the year IGJS ; they cease, 

 he says, in January, February, and March in 4", 

 in April in 5°, in May in 6% in June in 8°, in July 

 in 9', in August in 11°, in September in 10°, in 

 October in 8°, in November in 6°, in December in 

 5° north latitude, and these statements are con- 

 firmed by modern observations 



Carried forward by the S. E. wind almost as 

 rapidly as we had been before by the N. E., we 

 sailed towards the equator. On the 28th of June, 

 being in 2° 19' 29" north latitude, and 24° 21' west 

 longitude of Paris, we saw several tropical birds 

 {Phaeton cethereus) and pelicans {Pelecanus aquila) 

 hovering at a great height over the frigate. These 

 birds can indeed repose upon the waves ; but it is 

 not usual for them, especially the last, to show 

 themselves, except when the land is not too far 

 distant. As we were in the middle of the ocean, 

 we naturally concluded that there must be some 

 rocks in the neighbourhood : in fact we found such 

 rocks marked on some of our charts, in the longi- 

 tude in which we were to cross the equator. In the 

 evening the captain thought we had already passed 

 this danger, when about nine o'clock the man at the 

 mast head suddenly cried, " Breakers a-head !'* At 

 this cry, all rushed in despair upon deck, and ran 

 confusedly together ; some called " J'ire V and oth^S, 



* J. Horsburgh's India Directory, p. 26. 

 I 



