Ocean Wanderers 



intervals of sailing, skimmed low over the surface 

 of the water in an irregular course, till lost to sight. 

 The name " Shearwater " had been to me a mere 

 book-term ; henceforth it was a reality. 



A few miles further out we noticed a flock of 

 about twenty birds resting on the water. As we 

 approached, we saw that they were of the same 

 sort, except that one was of a dark sooty colour. 

 The skipper, who knew their ways, mischievously 

 steered the boat just to windward of them. The 

 wind was then very light, and the sail shut off, for 

 the time, what little there was, so that the birds, as 

 they were quite tame and did not rise soon enough, 

 found themselves unable to leave the water. One 

 of them, by frantic flapping and paddling, just man- 

 aged to clear the bow of the craft and avoid being 

 run over. The others turned, and fluttered off to 

 leeward, squawking and wailing in their terror. 

 The dark one was of the species called the " Sooty 

 Shearwater;" the other kind bears the specific name 

 of " Greater." 



Before this I had only one or two distant 

 glimpses from steamers at Petrels, or " Mother 

 Carey's Chickens." Out here the curious little 

 swallow-like creatures — sooty in colour, except for 

 a white band on the rump — were everywhere flit- 

 ting and pattering about. They fly in the most 

 irregular manner, as though they had no special 

 destination in view, as indeed they have not, care- 

 less where chance may lead, if only it is to food; 

 and it is surprising how quickly these ocean wan- 

 derers can discover the presence of a supply. After 

 we had fished awhile, the skipper suggested that we 



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