1772.
October.
rocky shores[1], agreeably to the observation in Lieutenant Cook's voyage in the Endeavour. Albatrosses, pintadas, and petrels of all kinds, amongst which was also the fulmar, (procellaria glacialis,) were now daily observed.
On the 17th, we had an alarm that one of our crew was overboard, upon which we immediately put about, but seeing nothing, the names of all persons on board the vessel were called over, and none found missing, to our great satisfaction. Our friends on board the Adventure, whom we visited a few days after, told us they had indeed suspected by our manœuvre, the accident which we had apprehended, but that looking out on the sea, Capt. Furneaux had plainly observed a sea-lion, that had been the cause of this false alarm.
- ↑ See Hawkesworth's Compilation, vol. II. p. 14. We find another remark at the end of that above quoted, which is of very different value, and seems to indicate that the ancient authors were not consulted. Whoever has looked into Pliny, can never have the least idea that the thin shell afore-mentioned could be "the purpura of the ancients." They had several kinds of shells, which yielded the purple dye, but these were all rock-shells. Earum genera plura, pabulo et solo difereta, lib. ix, cap. 61. Exquiruntur omnes scopuli gætuli muricibus ac purpuris, lib. v. cap. 1. It is equally clear and uncontrovertible that the figure and hardness of their purple shells were very different from those of the little helix janthina. Purpura vocatur, cuniculatim procurrente rostro et cuniculi latere introrfus tubulato qua proferatur lingua, lib. ix. cap. 61.—Lingua purpuræ longitudine digitalis quâ pascitur, perforando reliqua conchylia, tanta duritia aculeo est, lib. ix. cap. 60.—Præterca clavatum est ad turbinem usque aculeis in orbem septenis fere, lib. ix, cap. 61. Don Antonio Ulloa, in his voyage to South-America, book IV. chap. 8. may be consulted on the subject.
On
