A VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD.
49
1772.
September.
before, and did not care to redeem themselves by paying a certain forfeit of brandy. Those who had been obliged to undergo the briny submersion, changed their linen and clothes; and as this can never be done too often, especially in warm weather, the ducking proved a salutary operation to them. The quantity of strong liquors, arising from the forfeits of the rest, served to heighten the jovial humour, which is the predominant characteristic of sailors. This day we likewise obtained a southerly wind, which gradually came round to S. by E. and S.S.E. and settled into the usual trade-wind.
Monday 14.This day we caught several dolphins, and a flying-fish one foot long fell on the quarter-deck. Ever since the 8th we had daily observed several aquatic birds, such as man of war birds, boobies (pelecanus aquilus & sula) petrels, gulls, and tropic-birds (phaëton æthereus.) We had also at various intervals, found the sea covered with animals belonging to the class of mollusca, one of which, of a blue colour, in shape like a snail, with four arms, divided into many branches, was named glaucus atlanticus; another, transparent like a crystal, and often connected in a long string with individuals of the same species, was referred to the genus named dagysa, mentioned in Lieut. Cook's voyage in the Endeavour[1]. Two other species of mollusca, which- ↑ See Hawkesworth's compilation, vol. II. p. 2.
seamen,
