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S T I L L B E C A L M E D.
ON the 4th of June we were still in the same plight, although the currents
of the Gulf had borne us to a great distance from the place where,
as I have informed you, we had amused ourselves with catching Dolphins.
These currents are certainly very singular, for they carried us hither and
thither, at one time rendering us apprehensive of drifting on the coast of
Florida, at another threatening to send us to Cuba. Sometimes a slight
motion in the air revived our hopes, swelled our sails a little, and carried
us through the smooth waters like a skater gliding on ice; but in a few
hours it was again a dead calm.
One day several small birds, after alighting on the spars, betook themselves
to the deck. One of them, a female Rice Bunting, drew our attention
more particularly, for, a few moments after her arrival, there came
down, as if in her wake, a beautiful Peregrine Falcon. The plunderer
hovered about for a while, then stationed himself on the end of one of
the yard-arms, and suddenly pouncing on the little gleaner of the meadows,
clutched her and .carried her off in exultation. But, Reader, mark
the date, and judge besides of my astonishment when I saw the Falcon
feeding on the Finch while on wing, precisely with the same ease and
composure as the Mississippi Kite might shew while devouring high in
air a Red-throated Lizard, swept from one of the magnificent trees of the
Louisiana woods.
There was a favourite pet on board, belonging to our Captain, and
which was nothing more nor less than the female companion of a cock, in
other words, a common hen. Some liked her because she now and then
dropped a fresh egg,—a rare article at sea, even on board the Delos;
others, because she exhibited a pleasing simplicity of character; others
again, because, when they had pushed her overboard, it gave them pleasure
to see the poor thing in terror strike with her feet, and strive to reach
her floating home, which she would never have accomplished, however,
had it not been for the humane interference of our Captain, Mr JOSEPH
HATCH of Kennebunk. Kind, good-hearted man ! when, several weeks
after, the same pet hen accidentally flew overboard, as we were scudding
along at a furious rate, I thought I saw a tear stand in his eye, as she
STILL BECALMED. 521
floated panting in our wake.—But as yet we are becalmed, and heartily
displeased at old iEolus for overlooking us.
One afternoon we caught two sharks. In one of them, a female, about
seven feet long, we found ten young ones, all alive, and quite capable of
swimming, as we proved by experiment; for, on casting one of them into
the sea, it immediately made off, as if it had been accustomed to shift for
itself. Of another, that had been cut in two, the head half swam off out
of our sight. The rest were cut in pieces, as was the old shark, as bait
for the dolphins, which I have already said are fond of such food.
Our captain, who was much intent on amusing me, informed me that
the rudder-fishes were plentiful astern, and immediately set to dressing
hooks for the purpose of catching them. There was now some air above
us, the cotton sheets aloft bulged out, the ship moved through the water,
and the captain and I repaired to the cabin window. I was furnished
with a fine hook, a thread line, and some small bits of bacon, as was the
captain, and we dropped our bait among the myriads of delicate little
fishes below. Up they came, one after another, so fast in succession, that,
according to my journal, we caught three hundred and seventy in about
two hours. What a mess ! and how delicious when roasted ! If ever I
am again becalmed in the Gulf of Mexico, I shall not forget the rudderfish.
The little things scarcely measured three inches in length; they
were thin and deep in form, and afforded excellent eating. It was curious
to see them keep to the lee of the rudder in a compact body; and so
voracious were they, that they actually leaped out of the water at the
sight of the bait, as " sunnies" are occasionally wont to do in our rivers.
But the very instant that the ship became still, they dispersed around her
sides, and would no longer bite. I made a figure of one of them, as indeed
I tried to do of every other species that occurred during this deathlike
calm. Not one of these fishes did I ever see when crossing the Atlantic,
although many kinds at times come close to the stern of any vessel
in the great sea, and are called by the same name.
Another time we caught a fine Porpoise, which measured about two
yards in length. This took place at night, when the light of the moon
afforded me a clear view of the spot. The fish, contrary to custom, was
grained, instead of being harpooned; but in such a way and so effectually,
through the forehead, that it was thus held fast, and allowed to flounce
and beat about the bows of the ship, until the person who had struck it
gave the line holding the grains to the Captain, slided down along the