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January 19. 

 Yesterday morning a miniature shark chose to 

 swallow the bait laid for dolphins, and in conse- 

 quence soon made his appearance upon deck. It 

 was a very young one, not above three feet long. 

 I ordered a slice of him to be broiled at dinner, 

 but he was by no means so good as a dolphin ; but 

 still there was nothing in the taste so unpalatable 

 as to prevent the flesh from being very acceptable 

 in the absence of more delicate food. In the 

 evening, a bird, about the size of a large pigeon, 

 flew on board, and was knocked down by the mate 

 with his hat. It was sulky, and would not be per- 

 suaded to eat any thing that was offered, so he was 

 suffered to escape this morning. It was beautifully 

 shaped, with a swallow-tail, wings of an extra- 

 ordinary spread in comparison with the smaliness 

 of the body, a long sharp bill, black and polished 

 like a piece of jet, and eyes remarkably large and 

 brilliant. The head, back, and outside of the 

 wings were of a brownish slate colour, and the 

 rest of his feathers of the most dazzling whiteness. 

 It is called a crab-catcher. 



January 24. (Saturday.) 

 Our favourable breeze lasted till Tuesday, the 

 20th ; when, having brought us half way between 

 St. Domingo and Jamaica, it died away, and we 

 dragged on at the rate of two or three miles an 



