82 
VOYAGE ACROSS THE NORTH SEAS. 
ill luck, which might or might not be correct, as far as I was a judge, viz., that 
the Mackerel had left these latitudes on account of the advanced season, as they 
seldom refuse to, bite when present. 
The low sandy coast of Denmark was the next land we made, and in the 
course of the day six Garfish were caught, the flesh of which I thought delicious, 
though I have heard it esteemed poisonous. The bones become vivid grass green 
by boiling. A number of the Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) passed over the 
ship at different times during the day. The large species of Jelly-fish disappeared 
about the 10th degree of longitude. We were now on the eve of quitting the 
North Sea, and it may be as well to mention, that its soundings, not considering 
the coasts, vary from 20 to 180 fathoms. Three pounds of the water have been 
found to contain 747 grains of Salt. Having rounded the point, we proceeded 
down the Cattegat, keeping the Swedish coast in sight; it is rocky, and presents 
blue hills in the perspective. A great deal of Marsh Grass, mixed with marine 
fleshy plants, together with Fucus vesiculosus , and other Algce , were drifting 
about. The smaller Jelly-fish remained. 
Clearing at Elsinore, we continued our voyage with a “ spanking” breeze, 
having passed the Island of Haen, celebrated for the observatory of Tycho Brahe, 
which is still to be seen. A rather singular thing occurred on board. The 
Captain took out a Dog with him from Hull; this animal had been indisposed 
several days prior to the time 1 am speaking of, and behaved in so strange a 
manner that I requested he might be confined, lest he should prove rabid. This 
he did not consider necessaiy, observing that the Dog was only ill from the effects 
of salt air and diet—a thing usual with Canine voyagers when they commence 
their maritime career. The cook of the ship had set before this animal a pan of 
water, upon which he set up a yell, scoured round the deck furiously, and sprung 
over the boat into the Channel, before any one could recover from his surprise 
and intercede. He howled piteously in the water, but it was out of the question 
to stop the ship and lower a boat: we soon ran him out of sight, and I dare say 
he never reached the shore, which was four miles at the nearest from him. The 
crew regretted the loss of the Dog—I was rejoiced at it; for I have not a doubt 
but that he was mad. 
The sloping well-wooded coast of Zealand, with its Corn-fields and neat white¬ 
washed houses, is highly refreshing to an eye that has been water-logged by a 
passage across the German Ocean. We entered the Baltic, and passed the island 
of Bornholm in the night. Its outline was indistinctly seen the next morning 
when I ascended the companion ladder. At noon a Hawk, whose species I could 
not determine, hovered over us. I tried to shoot him, but he judiciously kept out 
of range of my carbines. Shortly after, three Porpoises (Phoccena communis) 
appeared in our wake, and after sporting for a few minutes swam off and left 
