VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA. £9 
overstrained; but by degiees, aided by tlie total failure of the sport, 
they availed, to the preservation of many of our winged visitors, 
Avho indeed deserved to be spared, if only for the entertainment 
they afforded us. Cape pigeons now and then alighted upon tlie 
sternsail booms, or on the bowsprit, for rest; but if one had gained 
a seat, it would not suffer another to sit down beside it, but in that 
case chattered and quarrelled, and at length fought, till either him- 
self or his neighbour was forced off^. Their look and habits seem 
like those of a laiid-bird, but m'C saw one arrive with a small fish in 
its bill. Their figure is remarkably neat: when they fly, they con- 
tract or spread their fan-shaped tails, and when sitting, cross the ends 
of their long wings over their tails, so as to give them the appearance 
of being doubly forked. Bottle-nosed porpoises, also, of various 
sizes, played often about the ship; and a shark was seen scudding 
along, on some murderous errand. 
20th. Towards evening the sky looked threatening in the west; 
and after sunset, it began to blow hard, and the sea w^as magnificently 
restless. The waves frequently beat over our bows, and we had 
little rest during the night, on account of the ship's motion and the 
roaring of the sea, which we had never heard before to that degree. 
About midnight, a tremendous sea broke over our stern, with a 
rattling noise; but after so long a voyage, we ^verc no more so much 
affected by these alarms; and knowing that the wind was in our fa- 
vour, felt rather thankful for the speed, with which we ran through 
the w ater, at the rate of eight knots and a half an hour. 
21st. Being St. Thomas's day, we sung the usual Liturgy ap- 
pointed for that day in our Church, and were led into much use- 
ful meditation on that most remarkable account given by the 
Evangelist of our Saviour's appearing to His unbelieving disciple, 
when, by beholding the marks of the wounds in His hands, feet, 
and side, proving Him to be verily the same Jesus, who was cru- 
cified, dead and buried, but now risen again, a conviction was 
wrought in his heart, th.at He was his Lord and God. From this 
event, those who go forth to preach the Gospel, may learn a most 
important lesson. 
