CHAP. I.] POKPOISES. 15 



the cloud which enveloped us consisted chiefly of the foam &quot;blown 

 off the crests of the waves, or of the driving mist and rain which 

 were falling during the greater part of the day. 



Among our passengers were some experienced American sea- 

 eaptains, who had commanded vessels of their own round Cape 

 Horn, and, being now for the first time in a steamer at sea, were 

 watching with professional interest the Britannia s behavior in 

 the storm. They came to the conclusion, that one of these vessels, 

 well appointed, with a full crew, skilled officers, and good en 

 gineers, was safer than any sailing packet ; being light in their 

 rigging, and having small sails, they run no danger of having 

 their masts carried away in a stiff breeze, and the power of steam 

 enables them always to make way, so as to steer and keep their 

 head to the wind, on which safety depends. It sometimes hap 

 pens, when a wave strikes a sailing vessel in a squall, that before 

 she has time to work round and get her head to windward, an 

 other wave breaks over and swamps her, and to such an accident 

 the loss of several packets between the United States and Liver 

 pool is attributed. 



I observed that there was no lightning conductor in our ship ; 

 and it seems to be the prevailing belief that steam-boats are less 

 liable than other vessels to suffer from lightning, although the 

 steamers in the royal navy are fitted with copper-wire rope con 

 ductors. 



My chief amusement, when the weather was moderate, was 

 to watch the porpoises (Delphinus phoccena) gamboling, rolling, 

 and tumbling in the water, and yet keeping up with our ship 

 when she was running eleven miles an hour. They were very 

 numerous, usually following each other in a line at short intervals, 

 each individual about four or five feet long, their backs of a blue- 

 ish-black color, swimming without effort, and seeming scarcely to 

 move either their fins or tail. Occasionally they dive, and then 

 re-appear to take breath at a great distance, often leaping up out 

 of the water, so as to display their silvery white bodies. The 

 only other living creatures which attracted our attention, when 

 still far from land, were enormous flights of sea-birds, which filled 

 the air, or were seen swimming on the ocean near the shoal called 



