EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 



the great guns, and by firing at a target fufpended from c 

 the yard-arm. 



On the I4th5 in the morning-watch, we paffed the Trc- 

 pic, when the ufual ceremony of ducking the frefh-- water 

 failors was ranfomed by tipping the foremaft men with 

 fome filver. About this time the Boreas mofl unhickily 

 loft one of her beft feamen, the boatfwain's mate, whofe 

 hand flipping by the wet, he pitched from the fore-yard- 

 arm into the fea. His prefence of mind in calling to 

 the captain, as he floated alongfide, " Be not alarmed for 

 " me^ fir^'' in the confidence of meeting with relief, at- 

 tracted peculiar compaffion, and even caufed fome mur- 

 muring, as no ailiflance was offered him ; in confequence 

 of which, after fwimming a conliderable time within 

 view, the unfortunate young man went to the bottom. 



We now were got in the tra6t of the trade winds, which 

 blowing continually eaft, and the weather becoming from 

 day to day more temperate, made the voyage exceedingly 

 pleafant ; more fo by the many dolphins or dorados, which 

 beautiful fifh feem to take peculiar delight in fporting 

 around the vefTels. The real dolphin, which is of the 

 cetaceous kind, was anciently celebrated in poetic flory 

 on account of its philanthropy and other fuppofed vir- 

 tues : but to the dorado or dolphin of the moderns, this 

 character is far from being applicable, this fifli being ex- 

 tremely voracious and deftruaive, and is known to fol- 

 low the fliips, and exhibit his fports and gambols, not 

 from attachment to mankind, but from the more felfifli 



Vol. I. G motive 



