EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 



lliip, while 1 complained aloud, and from that moment 

 date the good-will which Colonel Fourgeoud manifefted 

 towards me in particular, as will be feen throiighoui; the 

 expedition. It is with pain that I relate this paffage — 

 but no coniideration lliall prevent me from bringing 

 to light particular foibles, as it will ever give me the 

 greateft pleafure to render virtue confpicuous. 



About the 20th of January, we obferved great num- 

 bers of flying fifh, the exco&us voUtans of Linnseus, 

 which is about the flze of a herring. The back of this 

 animal is flat, and of an olive-brown colour; the fides 

 and belly of a refplendent fllvery white ; the mouth 

 fmall ; the eyes large ; the tail bifurcated ; and the fcales 

 hard, fmooth, and filvery. Upon occafion the pectoral 

 fins are ufed as wings by this fiili, yet no longer than 

 while they continue wet, for as foon as the moiflure is 

 dried, the animal drops back into the fea. The furface 

 of thefe fins is of a golden hue, beautifully variegated 

 near the edges with fpots of azure blue : their length is 

 equal to that of the body of the fifh; and its flight, which 

 is undertaken in order to avoid the purfuit of the do- 

 rado, and other large fifli, is always flraight forward, 

 and of fhort duration, on account of the neceffiiy of 

 repeatedly wetting its wings *. Thefe animals are fre- 



* I have never feen this neceffity pro- the fifh itfelf cannot endure to be long out 



perly accounted for : probably the mucus of its proper element : either of thefe fup- 



which covers the fins or wings may be- pofitions v/ill account for its dropping fo 



come fo confolidated by the heat of the often as it were involuntarily on board 



fun, and the aftion of the air, that it may fhip?, and into the mouth of its enemiesj 



impede their motion j or it may be that the dolphin, dorado, &c. 



C 3 qiiently 



