THE ALBATROSS 55 



The self-same moment I could pray ; 



And from my neck so free 

 The Albatross fell off, and sank 



Like lead into the sea." 



There are people now, as there were people then, who 

 would not hesitate to lay low an Albatross if thereby they 

 could get a few minutes' amusement. James Anthony 

 Froude, the historian, tells, for example, how on his voyage 

 out to Australia, some of his fellow-passengers spent much 

 powder and shot aiming at these birds as they wheeled 

 round the ship : " One Albatross, I am sorry to say, was 

 hit at last. It fell wounded into the water, and in a 

 moment the whole cannibal flock was tearing it to pieces. 

 Not a pleasant sight," is his comment, " but how about the 

 human share in it ? " 



Another pitiless sport is angling for Albatross. A long 

 line with a hook at the end baited with blubber is thrown 

 overboard and drifts out astern of the ship. The bait is 

 soon espied by the keen-eyed bird who swoops down upon 

 it. But as he rises and begins to make off, a sudden tug 

 fastens the hook in his beak. Then begins a struggle. 

 The bird hangs back, and if he is near the surface squares 

 his wings in the water, and is very hard to draw in. But 

 if he rises high in air, he can be "drawn down on deck 

 like a boy's kite," as one writer puts it. 



The greediness of the Albatross always lays him open 

 to such a trick. Poor fellow ! in his wanderings over 

 those desolate seas he often must go for a day or two 

 without food ; so that when it is to be had in plenty — 

 as, for instance, when he comes across the floating carcase 

 of a whale — he will gorge himself till he cannot rise and 

 pursue his way. 



He much prefers to find his food on the surface, rather 



