368 



KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



travelled hundreds of miles, and spent hun- 

 dreds of pounds in chase of, neglecting, for 

 him, all other chances — that man was mar- 

 ried ! and to his mistress too ! 



We soon bade adieu to scenes fraught 

 with recollections of failure and mortifica- 

 tion, and returned to spend a triste winter 

 in the tiresome old mansion in Nottingham- 

 shire. But, although mamma has expe- 

 rienced one check in her hitherto brilliant 

 career, she is too good a general, Mr. 

 Editor, to feel utterly discomfited ; and we 

 propose soon taking the field again, to seek, 

 find, and keep, the next time, what we sought, 

 and found 'tis true, but also — lost, the last 

 time. — E. D. 



The Albatross. 



These birds are found in great numbers about 

 Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope, and, at 

 certain seasons of the year, along the Pacific 

 coast, as far north as Behring's Straits. But a 

 favorite resort seems to be about the gloomy 

 regions of Cape Horn, where they are seen hour 

 after hour, and, according to Dr. Arnott, some- 

 times for days together, constantly on the wing, 

 following in the track of the tempest-tossed home 

 of the mariner, eagerly snatching at every edible 

 thing that may be thrown overboard. 



Some of these birds are of enormous size; 

 individuals not unfrequently measuring from 

 sixteen to nineteen feet from tip to tip of their 

 wings. They are extremely voracious ; and 

 wherever they find abundant food, will often so 

 gorge themselves as to be unable to fly or swim. 

 ITish spawn, gelatinous mollusca, and various 

 marine animals, constitute their ordinary food ; 

 but nothing that has nutritive qualities seems to 

 come amiss to them. They scent food a great 

 distance, and will soon gather around the whale 

 which has been harpooned a thousand miles from 

 land. 



For their breeding-places they select a spot of 

 ground two or three acres in extent, opening on 

 the sea. From this they remove all the stones 

 and pebbles, piling them up on each side, so as to 

 form a miniature stone fence. This space is 

 then plotted off into small squares, with inter- 

 vening paths intersecting each other at right 

 angles. In each corner of the squares a penguin 

 scoops out a nest, while the albatross takes, by 

 common consent, the centre, and constructs a 

 small mound of grass and mussels, eight or ten 

 inches high, on which they make their nests, 

 which, in diameter, are about the size of a water- 

 pail. 



Their eggs, which are larger than those of the 

 goose, are white, splashed with dark spots at 

 the larger end. These are never exposed to the 

 air after incubation commences, but, when the 

 female wishes to leave them to seek food, the 

 male crowds her gently off, and in like manner 

 yields possession of the nest to her when she 

 returns. Around the whole encampment is a 

 wide path, in which the albatrosses and penguins 

 perform patrol duty day and night, but always 

 under command of an albatross. 



A favorite resort for breeding are the Falk- 

 land Islands. The albatross may be called the 

 buzzard of the ocean. They are easily taken in 

 moderate weather by trailing a hook and line, 

 the latter end of which is kept near the surface 

 of the water by any kind of a float, the hook 

 being baited with a piece of fat pork. A shingle 

 answers very well for a float. They not only 

 extend far north into the Pacific, but are found 

 on the southern borders of the Indian Ocean, 

 and occasionally pretty far to the eastward. 



Notwithstanding the immense size of the bird, 

 there is little flesh on the carcass, and the bones 

 are very light and thin. Sailors are not so 

 scrupulous but that they will make a fresh meal 

 of them for the want of something better. They 

 have a large quantity of remarkably fine and. 

 soft down upon their bodies, nearly an inch in 

 thickness. The prepared skins would be very 

 valuable, and in connexion with a sealing voyage, 

 might, perhaps, be well worthy of attention. 



There are at least two varieties, if not more ; 

 one of which is white, and the other light brown, 

 or brown and white intermixed, and forming a 

 beautiful combination of colors. As to the dis- 

 position of their nests in conjunction with pen- 

 guins, the account appears somewhat poetical, 

 especially that part relating to patrol- duty. 



Being web-footed and of large size, the alba- 

 tross is not naturally fitted for walking; no 

 more so than wild ducks and teal. Ocean birds 

 when brought on a ship's deck become instantly 

 sea-sick. They remain in a sitting posture, 

 scarcely attempting to move; and this remark 

 applies particularly to the albatross and the 

 Cape pigeon. 



Free Pardon to Thomas It. Mellish, 



Whilst all the world are proclaiming with a 

 loud voice the goodness of Providence in deliver- 

 ing this persecuted, and now public man, from the 

 tissue of webs spun by his diabolical adversary to 

 ruin him — let us not be backward in offering him 

 our warmest congratulations on his miraculous 

 escape. But what a state is " the law " in, when 

 a man firmly believed, nay, known to be " innocent," 

 is thrown into prison, and is kept there nearly 

 eight months! The efforts to save poor Mellish 

 from " ten years' transportation " have been 

 almost superhuman. Providence has aided the 

 movers, and Her Majesty has set him " free." For 

 once, law and equity have " kissed each other; " 

 and, as The Times forcibly remarks, " justice has 

 been justified." Gloria JDeo! say we. 



NOTICE. 



OUR FIRST QUARTERLY VOLUME 

 (With Index, Title Page and Preface), 



Price 2s. 6d. cloth lettered, post-free 3s., 

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London : Published for William Kidd, by William 

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 and Communications, Addressed to "the Editor," 

 and Books for Review, are to be forwarded) ; and 

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