4 
PASSING THE TIME. 
a never-failing fund of amusement, as they raced 
with the vessel, or gambolled in the foam which she 
cast up about her bows. The sudden appearance 
of the little petrels, which, under the name of 
hlother Carey's chickens, are so dear to seamen, 
though their presence is regarded as the herald of a 
storm, was another source of interest. The obser- 
vation of these and other natural phenomena 
afforded an inexhaustible fund of amusement as 
the favourable breeze bore us joyfully on our way. 
Then, as sometimes happened, our progress was 
impeded by a calm, when a boat was lowered for 
the purpose of picking up violet-snails, or capturing 
a ” vessel ” from the fleet of Portuguese-men- 
of-war.” 
When evening drew on apace we had other ways 
of passing the time. “ All hands " were invited by 
the boatswain’s pipe to dance and skylark. Sailors 
are proverbially merry and light-hearted, and the 
hornpipe and the reel were kept up with unflagging 
spirit. Those who could sing favoured their 
comrades with a song ; the witty were always ready 
