74 VOYAGE FROM INDIA TO SIAM AND MALACCA. 



disting-uish whether they were a kind of Alca or Sterna. I saw 

 now and then some balls of foam fall down from the air, they 

 were as big- as a fist, and immediately dissolved on touching- the 

 sea. 



27— The air was very rough to-day and disagreeably cold, 

 though we were under the twelfth degree of latitude and the 

 sun was close to its meridian, towards evening we had some 

 showers on account of the strong south-west wind. There was 

 little to be seen on the surface of the sea, only the flying fish 

 rose in shoals, persecuted by the birds above described, 



29. — To day we had heavy showers, combined with strong 

 south-west wind, the sun never appeared, but we supposed 

 were advancing towards the 11th degree of latitude. In the 

 afternoon we had strong wind combined with some rain. Some 

 very large Albicores and Dorados accompanied our ship, we also 

 saw some Delphen Orca and some Sued swim past, this made 

 us hope that after this rough, unpleasant weather, we might 

 soon see the land again. 



30. — A strong N.W. wind, which arose this morning, com- 

 bined with rain made us advance very much on our journey, but 

 towards 10 o'clock in the morning the wind turned ; we reached 

 to day the 10th degree of latitude. In the afternoon we had 

 again strong west wind, inclining to the south-west and showers, 

 the wind being very strong'. 



31.— The air was very misty on account of the strong wind, 

 specially the horizon looked as if it were covered with smoke, the 

 sun just peeping through. I saw some birds of the same size 

 as those mentioned before flying over the waves, in order to 

 catch the flying fish as they rose in little shoals. Their size and 

 proportions were like those of the others, also as regards the 

 long' narrow wings and their whole body was brown, and at 

 times they shrieked as they flew along. I also saw a Larus fly- 

 ing round the ship. At 9 o'clock land was discovered from the 

 mast. The sails were set and the course directed straight to- 

 wards the land. A quarter of an hour later we could distin- 

 guished the land from the fore deck, it rose before us like smoke 

 and seemed to be high and hilly. 



As we approached the land we could from time to time dis- 

 tinguish some white sparkling spots especially close to the sum- 

 mit of the mountain, we took them to be chalk stone, but as we 



