~ 
228 The Torture of the Fish-Hawk. [March, 
The vitality of the fish-hawk is something wonderful, for this 
pastime went on for an hour, until at length it was completely 
dead. The body floated to shallow parts in the ebbing tide and 
rested stationary on the bottom, when each bird in turn alighted 
upon it, folded its wings, and rested in perfect quiet for five min- 
utes, when it would rise in the air and a comrade take its turn. 
The appearance of these creatures, while thus employed, was that 
of quietly expecting something which did not happen. I had 
approached to within thirty feet of the dead hawk, but not the 
least attention was given to my presence. The birds always 
alighted with their heads towards the head of the carcass, and 
stood out their time, without making a movement, in a slightly 
crouching attitude, as if to be prepared for what would take place. 
This curious performance lasted for an hour, when, moved by a 
single impulse, they stretched their long pinions and went aloft, 
where they could be seen in their interminable circling flight, 
round and round,yand the tragedy was ended. 
The sun was low in the west; the tide had ceased to flow; the 
breeze had died away, and everything was tranquil. All nature 
seemed to overflow with love and peace, and yet an awful scene 
had filled those quiet hours. I felt myself in the grasp of some- 
thing infernal. It was as if the guest of Solomon had been con- 
fronted in the garden, in every avenue of escape, by awful death, — 
until he had surrendered life after exhausting all the forces of his _ 
nature to escape his doom. An examination of the carcass re- 
vealed no wounds. It wasa case of suicide entirely. But what 
a dreadful motive to commit the deed, 
~ Through all this tragedy the wings of the frigate-birds were 
motionless, excepting when they were engaged near the water. 
To rise or fall was indifferent to them. When confronting the 
wks, the contrasted wing-motions of the two birds was con- 
spicuous—one was beating the air rapidly, the other not at all. 
Though afterwards explained, this ability to counteract air resist- 
ance and weight without muscular exertion was then as great a 
riddle as any other part of the work. 
_I remained in that locality for a month, but witnessed no repe- 
tition of this day’s tragedy. The frigate-birds occupied the air and 
the hawks fished in the pass undisturbed, or if their prey was 
stolen, they were allowed to escape; but on returning a year 
afterwards, I witnessed an analogous scene, after waiting for w ecks 
