Page:Colnett - Voyage to the South Pacific (IA cihm 33242).djvu/40

 harpoon it, but without ucces. Indeed, we were not very olicitous to kill black whales, and willingly gave up the chae at this time, to make all the ail we could, and to exert our utmot efforts in order, if poible, to dicover the land before night; which every one on board had poeed themelves with the idea of eeing, although at uch a coniderable ditance from the Latitude in which it was uppoed to lay.

During this afternoon we paed everal fields of pawn, which caued the water to wear the appearance of barely covering the urface of a bank. At un-et we could ee as far as twelve or fourteen leagues; but did not perceive any other igns of land than the great flight of birds which continued to accompany us, and they were o numerous at times, that had they all been on the wing together, and above us, intead of riing in alternate flocks and kimming after the whales, the atmophere mut have been altogether darkened by them. And the number of whales in ight preented a fair opportunity of making a profitable voyage in the article of black oil; but my predominant object was to fulfill the particular ervices recommended to me by the Lords of the Admiralty; and in one point I had at this moment, the mot flattering hopes of ucceeding.