PORTER'S JOURNAL. 
m 
by jumping out of the water, were immediately snapped up by 
the innumerable swarms of birds that were hovering over them. 
On our arrival off Ajugia, we had another opportunity of wit¬ 
nessing a similar scene, and as the water was perfectly smooth 
and the winds light, we were enabled to examine it more minute* 
ly. We discovered the sea boiling violently in many places, and 
wherever this was the case, vast numbers of seals, large fish, and 
birds, were apparently in pursuit of small fish. On approaching 
one of those places, the water had so much the appearance of 
having been put into action by violent currents, opposed by 
sunken rocks, that I felt some uneasiness, and directed the helm 
to be put a-weather to avoid it; however, the next one had the 
same appearance, and was equally attended by fish; I therefore 
steered ciose to it, and saw that in the centre of the agitated 
spot (which bore the appearance of water boiling in a pot), were 
myriads of small fish, which were collected together, and appear¬ 
ed as though it were impossible for them to escape from this 
violent whirlpool, which was so powerful as to affect considera¬ 
bly the steerage of the ship. Whether this boiling of the water 
was occasioned by the vast numbers of seals and large fish which 
kept constantly darting in among the small fry, which were 
drawn as it were to a focus, I will not pretend to say; it is possi¬ 
ble, however, that whales, or some fish perhaps as large as whales, 
which did not show themselves above the surface, might also have 
been concerned in the pursuit, and occasioned the agitation that so 
much surprized us ; for I cannot think it possible that the seals 
and bonetas, numerous as they were, could have produced so 
violent a commotion. 
A breeze springing up, we stood away for Payta, with a view 
of looking into that port, and at sundown were in sight of the 
island of Lobos, which lies a short distance to the southward, 
where we hove to for the Barclay to come up, as we had nearly 
run her out of sight ; and, after speaking her, stretched off under 
easy sail, and at 2 o’clock in the morning made sail in shore. 
The weather at sunrise was hazy, and prevented us for some 
time from seeing the saddle of Payta, which is a remarkable irre¬ 
gular mountain to the south of Payta, and when once seen can- 
