NARRATIVE OF AN 



qnently found on bo.rd veffjls, and flicking in the 

 flirouds, which is probably to be afcribed, not, accord- 

 ing to the opinion of fome, to their f^eking a refuge 

 there from the attacks of lifli or fea-birds, but fimply to 

 their flight being obftru£ted by an object, which, as they 

 ahvays fly in a (Ure6l hne, they have not the power to 

 avoid. The fate of this animal feems peculiarly fevere, 

 as it is the prey both of the fcaly and feathered creation, 

 and frequently meets its doom in that element to which 

 but a moment before it had committed itfelf for protec- 

 tion. 



Becoming extremely lov/-fpirited towards the clofe of 

 our voyage, I now had recourfe to daily fea-bathing, and 

 to a chearing glafs of claret, two ankers of which had 

 been provided for each officer, independantly of his own 

 flock. Thefe means proved efficacious, and I found my- 

 felf in a few days perfedtly recovered from my com- 

 plaint. ,On the 30th the weather became hazy, when the 

 fliips brought-to and hove the lead in thirteen fathom 

 foul water. The following day we pafled feveral large 

 black rocks to windward, called the Conjlables, and caft 

 anchor near the Euripice, or Devil's IJlands^ off the coaft 

 of South America. The Euripice Iflands are fituated 

 about twenty-four miles from the French fettlement of 

 Cayenne^ bearing N.N.W. in north latitude, five de- 

 grees twenty minutes, and confift of a ridge of fmall un- 

 inhabited and very dangerous rocks for fliipping. Here 

 the current runs conftantly from the S. E. to the N. W. 

 at the rate of flxty Englifli miles in twenty-four hours ; 



confequently 



