THE STEAIT OF MAGELLAN. 329 



Under these circumstances we made very little way during the 

 23d, and matters were but little improved on the 24th — the 

 wind and swell continuing with unabated force, and causing 

 us to roll about very uncomfortably in the trough of the sea, 

 while albatrosses sailed about the vessel in numbers. 



A favourable wind, however, sprang up at length soon 

 after noon on the 25th, and freshened steadily, so that by 

 eight P.M. we were making upwards of nine knots on our 

 course. That night there was a magnificent display of phos- 

 phorescence. It was very dark, and, as the vessel sped on 

 her way, she threw out from her bows broad waves flashing 

 with light and sparkling with brilliant stars. On the 26th 

 the wind gradually fell, and there was a very heavy swell ; but 

 by the morning of the 27th the sea had gone down, and it was 

 nearly dead calm throughout the day, and beautifully bright 

 and warm. A most remarkable spectacle was furnished by 

 the flocks of albatrosses (Diomedea exulans), which were 

 peacefully resting on the calm surface of the water around 

 the ship. Though the appearance of these birds when on the 

 wing is very fine, they look singularly awkward when 

 swimming, their great heavy heads, and large strong beaks, 

 suggesting a child's first attempts at drawing water-fowl. At 

 one time about twenty of them were close astern of us, 

 growling hoarsely as they fought over the garbage thrown 

 overboard from time to time. Several were taken on baited 

 lines, and hauled in with considerable difficulty, as they 

 struggled most vigorously, aiming violent blows at their 

 captors with their powerful pinions. Some disgorged what 

 they had been feeding on, which consisted principally of large 

 Cephalopods of the genus Ommastrephes or Loligo. I killed 

 two specimens with the aid of chloroform, the skin of one 

 of which I afterwards preserved, and several more were 



