Page:Colnett - Voyage to the South Pacific (IA cihm 33242).djvu/202

 We ometimes paed great numbers of mall birds, lying dead on the water; a circumtance for which I am not able to aign a probable conjecture. The greatet number of pelicans appeared off Lobas le Mar, and if that place hould be their contant reort, they will, in thick weather, determine the vicinity of the iland.

I tried for oundings, in many parts of the coat, at the ditance of five and ix leagues from the hore, but could not obtain any bottom with one hundred and fifty fathoms of line. In thick weather, however, when you draw near land, large quantities of ea-weed will appear, and birds, in great numbers, itting on the water. Seals are no certain criterion for being near the hore; as I have often een them, at the ditance of an hundred and fifty leagues from land, leeping in great numbers on the urface of the water, with the tail and one fin out of it, o as to offer the appearance of a crooked billet. On any part of the coat of Chili, or Peru, a ealing voyage might be made with great propect of ucces, as well as at the Iles of Saint Felix and Saint Ambroe.

In our paage down the coat of Chili, we had South Eat and Eaterly winds, with variable, but in general