trees are loaden with thefe pidturefque birds in a moft lingular
manner.
F r í c a t e . T h e frigate birds appear gliding in the air at times at ftupendóus
heights, and often making the clouds their place o f reft,
fuftaining themfelves long motionlefs on their vaft expanfe of
wing. Then, from a lituation fo lofty as to render them fcarcely
. vifible, will, by virtue o f their penetrating eyes, fee and dart down
On a filh with aftoniihing rapidity, and With their prey as fuddenly
regain their former aerial lituation. Gulls are often their attendants,
and difpute the booty with them.
P e t r e l s . Petrels of different kinds are feen ikimming the furface;
fome are accuftomed to fnatch the fifties as they pafs along;
others, collected in multitudes, fuddenly dart in concert beneath
the water for their food, rife again, and repeat their exercifes in
long fucceffion.
P e l e c a n s . Pelecans, and the duller Corvorants, keep near to the Ihores.
The Pelecans are often feen in the air ihifting from place to place 5
their fnowy color, and vaft bulk o f body, and expanfe o f wing,
render them aftoniihing objefts; they fly, like wild geefe, in
wedge-lhaped phalanxes, and afford a moft amufing variety in
the animated atmofphere.
PiNctriHi. T h e fin-winged Pinguins keep ereit on the fliore, till, compelled
by hunger, they are driven in fearch o f food into the fea.
Their rapid diving is among the wonders; they are feen beneath
the tranfparent waves darting after their prey with all the
fwiftnefs of the Aibicore or Bonito.
W a t e r S p o u t s . W a t e r fpouts are phenomena moft frequent in thefe feas;
t h e y
they appear hanging out o f the clouds in a funnel ihape, thè
bafe uppermoft, but at times affume different forms. Let me
fpeak to the eyes, by referring to Phil. ‘trttfif. Abridg-. ii. 104. tab.
p. 164; vol. iv. part 2d, p. 103. tab. 1 ; vol. viii. 655. tab. 6 ‘;
to Gent'il’s Voy. ii. tab. 9 ; but above all, to fbeveriot, Engl, ‘franf.
folio, p. 185, in which their fhapes and progréfs are varioufly re-
prefented, either rifing in a thick column from the fea, or falling
from the clouds, to the terror Of the mariners, who expedl
to be overwhelmed by the quantity and weight o f water, an
accident that never has been well prdved to ftà'vè happened,
Dampier, who was moft conVerfant in maritime phshomena o'f
any man in his, or perhaps any other time,'cdhireffes he never
knew o f any damage done by a Waterfpout except Once*; and
that appears to have been by-the calile, and not by the fpout
itfelf, Which fell into the fèa, nèat the ihip, with àvaft noifè
and agitation o f the Water: the mizen màft, fore mail, and
boltfprit were fnapped Ihort off; biit this injury arofe entirely
from the rage o f tll'e Whirlwind Which formed the fpout : its-
firft blaft blew the lhip all along on one fide, and almoft oveifet
her ; then fuddenly whirling round With the fame fury, very
nearly dverfet her On the contrary fide. Sailors are 'always full
o f terrors at the appearance o f fpouts ; they difcharge cannon
into them, in Order to break and make them fall at a diftance,
but never with effeét. Thè experienced Dampier concludes with
faying, “ that the fright was always the greateft harm.”
I NOW refume the element o f earth. Off the harbor of Doty
extends the ifland o f Mttnafcoary ; it is about five miles in com-
* Wol. i; fi. 452, 453.
pafs,