a hundred yards at a time without wetting their fins. I have 

 sometimes seen them fall upon the deck, and dressed for table; but as 

 there was seldom more than one at a time, and that divided among 

 many claimants for a taste, it is difficult to define its excellence 

 in that respect : it seemed more delicate in flavour than the 

 other ocean fish. In Dr. Shaw's Systematic Natural History, 

 one of the most scientific and entertaining zoological works in 

 Europe, he quotes an observation by captain Tobin, respecting 

 the habits of the exocoetus evolans, which appears very curious. 

 " The lower half of the tail in the flying-fish, is full twice the 

 length of the upper; the use of it has always appeared evident to 

 me. I have by the hour watched the dolphins and boneltas in pur- 

 suit of them; when, without wholly immersing themselves, which 

 would have proved fatal to them, they have disposed in their pro- 

 gressive motion the lower part of the tail in such a manner as to 

 supply their wings with moisture, so as to support them above the 

 surface. I never saw one exceed the distance of one hundred yards 

 in its flight, without being obliged to dip for a fresh supply." 



I should have had no other occurrence to mention in this 

 voyage, had it not been for a dreadful storm, which came upon 



us after losing the north-east trade wind : it was not of long continu- 

 es C5 



ance, but dreadfully terrific, and we had every reason to suppose the 

 ship must inevitably perish. The prognostics were singular, and 

 the alarming aspect gave some little lime for preparation, which 

 was not the case on a similar occasion mentioned in a former 

 voyage to England, near the Azores. Such scenes are extremely 

 difficult to describe; nor should any effort of my pen or pencil 

 have attempted it from my own journal; but there is an exact 



