It is a smaller species than that of the
Atlantic, and more active and elegant in its motions.
As they
skim along the surface they turn on their sides, so as fully to
display their beautiful fins, taking a flight of about a hundred
yards, rising and falling in n most graceful manner. At a little
distance they exactly resemble swallows, and no one who sees them
can doubt that they really do fly, not merely descend in an
oblique direction from the height they gain by their first
spring. In the evening an aquatic bird, a species of booby (Sula
fiber.) rested on our hen-coop, and was caught by the neck by one
of my boys.
Dec. 31st,. - At daybreak the Ke Islands (pronounced Kay) were in
sight, where we are to stay a few days. About noon we rounded the
northern point, and endeavoured to coast along to the anchorage;
but being now on the leeward side of the island, the wind came in
violent irregular gusts, and then leaving us altogether, we were
carried back by a strong current. Just then two boats-load of
natives appeared, and our owner having agreed with them to tow us
into harbour, they tried to do so, assisted by our own boat, but
could make no way. We were therefore obliged to anchor in a very
dangerous place on a rocky bottom, and we were engaged till
nearly dark getting hawsers secured to some rocks under water.
The coast of Ke along which we had passed was very picturesque.
Light coloured limestone rocks rose abruptly from the water to
the height of several hundred feet, everywhere broken into
jutting peaks and pinnacles, weather-worn into sharp points and
honeycombed surfaces, and clothed throughout with a most varied
and luxuriant vegetation.
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