Page:Colnett - Voyage to the South Pacific (IA cihm 33242).djvu/153

 to the Southward and reach the Galipagoe Iles where we might refit for England; unles we hould fall in with ome European Veel that would upply us with the necearies which we o much wanted; or from being made acquainted with the tate of Europe, might venture into ome Spanih port.

In our paage to the Coat, which we made in Latitude 19° 28′, we paed great quantities of herring, turtle, porpoies, black-fih, devil-fih, and fin-back whale, but the number of birds appeared to be greatly diminihed ince we left the coat: for at that time there were innumerable flocks of boobies, which were o tame, as not only to perch on the different parts of the hip, but even on our boats, and the oars while they were actually employed in rowing. When the appearance of the weather foretold a quall, or on the approach of night, the turtle generally afforded a place of ret for one of thee birds on his back; and though this curious perch was uually an object of contet, the turtle appears to be perfectly at eae and unmoved on the occaion. The victorious bird generally eaed the turtle of the ucking fih and maggots that adhere to and troubled him. We now aw dolphins and porpoies in abundance, and took many of the latter, which we mixed with alt pork, and made excellent