8 



NARRATIVE OF AN 



C H A P. that of a large martin or fwallow ; it is web-footed ; the 



bill is very long and lliarp, and the wings of an extraor- 

 dinary length, which enable it to fly very fall, and for 

 a conflderable time, fkimming with incredible velocity 

 around the horizon : it fiibfifts entirely irpon fifli, which 

 is probably the caufe of its being fenlible of the firft in- 

 dications of whrtever may prevent its ufual fupply of 

 food : it then flies along with extreme fwiftnefs, in order 

 to avoid the florm; but if overtaken by it, drops its 

 wings, and floats upon the furface of the waves. 



On the following day, January 2d, 1773, the predic- 

 tions of the ftorm-bird were verified : a heavy gale 

 fprung up from N. N. E. by which, off Cape Finijierre^ 

 the Boreas and Vigilance were feparated from us. We 

 kept our courfe during the night with double reefed top- 

 fails, and all the hatches laid, which made our men in 

 general very lick. Here I ought not to forget that by- 

 way of experiment we had flung the hammocks athwart 

 fliips, and not as ufual fore and aft ; which method we 

 found however to be both fo roomy and convenient, that 

 it has been fince adopted by feveral other veflels. 



On the morning of the 4th we fpied a ftout fhip 

 to windward in the ofling, bearing Itreight down upon 

 ns. Conjedturing flie might be an Algerine pirate from 

 the African coaft, and now but two fliips out of five, we 

 prepared to engage her ; flie however foon proved to be 

 the Boreas man-of-war, which had parted company on 

 the 2d. From this date the men were daily exercifed at 



I 



the 



