TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 



43 



o'clock the Capo was S.W. by W. ; the wind con- 

 tinued to increase during the day, so that at half 

 past seven in the morning we already had the 

 middle point of Capo Maritimo, the most southerly 

 point of Sicily, E. by S., about six leagues distant. 

 Here the ship was again visited by many birds, 

 sparrowhawks, swallows, turtle doves, gold thrushes 

 and motacillae. It seems as if these animals, im- 

 pelled by instinct to emigrate, resort to points of 

 land where two countries approach the most 

 nearly to each other, and take advantage of ships 

 that sail by, as resting places in their long journey. 

 On the 3d of May we came in sight of the Toro, 

 not far from the Sardinian coast, a bare rock rising 

 from the sea, and soon afterwards of S. Pietro, 

 the most westerly point of that island. Many 

 dolphins sported round our vessel, and, according 

 to the observations of the crew, announced that 

 the wind would abate, as in fact it did soon after- 

 wards. 



Several phenomena indicated that we were 

 drawing nearer to the great ocean, among which 

 we may particularly mention the greater phospho- 

 rescence of the sea. On the voyage from Triest, 

 we had hitherto seen only detached luminous 

 points in the sea, but now the ship seemed in the 

 night-time to swim in liquid fire, and as it glided 

 along and beat against the waves, the deck was 

 illumined by a bright light. The sight of this 

 grand and magic nocturnal phenomenon excites the 

 admiration of every beholder, especially if it is 



