MALTA AND SICILY. 
*281) 
One day during these tedious calms a 
large object was discovered floating on the 
water, and the boat was sent to bring it on 
board. It proved to be a dead porpoise, 
and though the flesh was nearly black, it was 
all cut up and salted for future consumption, 
but the liver was fried and eaten immedi¬ 
ately. From the fat of this fish a large 
quantity of very good oil, with scarcely any 
odour, was extracted. The men offered us 
a share of the fried liver, which we declined, 
but I must confess that it had a very tempt¬ 
ing smell, and had the fish met with its 
death from the harpoon instead of from 
natural causes, I would certainly have par¬ 
taken of this novel dish. 
I must hasten to conclude this long nar¬ 
rative of our most tedious and miserable 
voyage. We passed through the Straits of 
Bonifacio on the evening of the seventh day 
u 
