2 
The ship bore up most gallantly. The keener the South wind 
blew, and the more boisterous the sea, the faster she moved ahead. 
About noon the coast of Australia had already vanished from the 
horizon. Less agreeable, however, was the sudden change of scenery 
for us “Naturalists,” who found ourselves, — together with the 
hundred different things w r e had collected and brought on board 
with us , a doubly helpless sport at the mercy of a boisterous 
sea. I was , indeed , fortunate enough , never to suffer from 
actual sea-sickness, yet, at every such sudden transfer from land 
to the upheaving sea, an invincible drowsiness would come over 
me, and not until I had paid the God of Sleep double or 
treble the usual tribute , did I feel myself entirely acclimatized 
on board. 
After two days the wind and waves subsided, and from this 
time, favoured by fair weather and alternate breezes, we had a 
pleasant, if not a very speedy passage. In the night from the 
18 th to the 19 th of December we passed along the North Cape of 
New Zealand, without, however, coming in sight of the “Three 
Kings,” three small rocky isles, which for the navigation from 
Sydney to the North Island of New Zealand form, so to say, the 
corner-stones, behind which ships bearing South-East, are wont to 
pass to the numerous harbours on the East-coast of the Northern 
peninsula. 
On the 19 th of December, shaping our course South East, we 
sailed along the East-coast, but at such a distance from the land, 
that we could only just see the very prominent Cape Brett near 
the Bay of Islands. However, a whale, which had followed the fri- 
gate close to the larboard-side for upwards of an hour, afforded us 
ample amusement. Every two minutes it would appear on the sur- 
face of the water to inhale fresh air, and thus exhibit its colos- 
sal dimensions. It was from 50 to 00 feet long. At eventide, a 
calm having set in, boats were lowered and a party was arranged 
for shooting albatrosses and other sea-birds (puff inns, procellaria ), 
which swarmed round the frigate, and from sheer curiosity flew to- 
wards the boats in greater numbers as the firing increased. 
