1827-8. 



PURCHASE THE ADELAIDE. 



107 



rine's we remained eight days, and during the interval necessary 

 for ascertaining the rates of the chronometers, I obtained mag- 

 netic observations. 



After a tedious voyage of nineteen days from St. Catherine's^ 

 I arrived at Monte Video, and there received intelligence that 

 the long-wished permission from the Lord High Admiral, to 

 procure a tender, had been obtained. I accordingly purchased 

 a schooner, which I named the Adelaide, and appointed Lieu- 

 tenant Graves to the command. Five months' additional pro- 

 visions for both vessels were purchased, and put into her ; and 

 on the 23d December, after running up the river to complete 

 our water, we sailed out by the southern entrance, passing to 

 the westward of the Archimedes' Shoal, and proceeded without 

 farther detention to the southward. 



On the 1st of January (in latitude 43° 17^ and long. 61° 9'), 

 I was informed that we were close to a rock. Upon going on 

 deck, I saw the object ; but in a very short time I perceived it 

 was a dead whale, upon whose half-putrid body large flocks of 

 birds were feeding. Many on board were, however, sceptical^ 

 until, on passing to leeward, the strong odour testified the fact. 

 Its appearance certainly was very like the summit of a dark 

 brown rock, covered with weeds and barnacles, and the myriads 

 of birds which surrounded it added to the deception. It could, 

 however, be distinguished by its buoyancy ; for the water did 

 not break over it, as of course it would have done had it 

 been a fixed body. Such is probably the origin of half the 

 ' vigias' that are found on the charts. Whales, when struck 

 by the fishers, frequently escape and perish ; the carcass then 

 floats on the surface of the sea, until decomposed or eaten 

 by birds and fishes. A small vessel striking against such a 

 mass, would probably be severely injured ; and at night, the 



shell, that it seemed as if the shell increased with the animal's growth. 

 When so many learned naturalists have diifered so materially as to the 

 character of the inhabitants of the argonauta, it would be presumption 

 in me to express even an opinion ; I therefore merely mention the fact^ 

 and state that in no one specimen did there appear to be any connexion 

 between the animal and the shell 



