82 
WANDERINGS IN 
SECOND 
JOURNEY 
Frigate 
Pelican. 
softest, sweetest strain, and then take an airing 
amongst the dolphins; “ inter delphinas Arion.” 
But now-a-days, our tars have quite capsized the 
custom ; and instead of riding ashore on the dolphin, 
they invite the dolphin aboard. While he is darting 
and playing around the vessel, a sailor goes out to 
the spritsailyard-arm, and with a long staff, leaded 
at one end, and armed at the other with five barbed 
spikes, he heaves it at him. If successful in his aim, 
there is a fresh mess for all hands. The dying 
dolphin affords a superb and brilliant sight: 
“ Mille traliit moriens, adverso sole colores.” 
All the colours of the rainbow pass and repass in 
rapid succession over his body, till the dark hand of 
death closes the scene. 
From the Cape de Verd islands, to the coast of 
Brazil, you see several different kinds of gulls, 
which, probably, are bred in the island of St. Paul. 
Sometimes the large bird called the Frigate Pelican, 
soars majestically over the vessel, and the tropic 
bird comes near enough to let you have a fair view 
of the long feathers in his tail. On the line, when it 
is calm, sharks of a tremendous size make their ap¬ 
pearance. They are descried from the ship by 
means of the dorsal fin, which is above the water. 
On entering the bay of Pernambuco, the Frigate 
Pelican is seen watching the shoals of fish from a 
prodigious height. It seldom descends without a 
successful attack on its numerous prey below. 
As you approach the shore, the view is charming. 
The hills are clothed with wood, gradually rising 
% 
Scenery. 
