_
_Tuesday, July 25th_.--There was not much wind during the night, and
Palma was consequently still visible when I came on deck at daybreak.
We had a light fair wind in the morning, accompanied by a heavy swell,
which caused us to roll so much that I found it very difficult to do
anything. Several shoals of flying fish skimmed past us along the
surface of the water, occasionally rising to a considerable height
above it. Their beautiful wings, glittering in the bright sunlight,
looked like delicate silver filigree-work. In the night one flew on
board, only to be preserved in spirits by Dr. Potter.
_Saturday, July 29th_.--For the last three days we have been going on
quietly with fair, warm weather, but a nice fresh breeze sprang up
to-day. At midday the sun was so exactly vertical over our heads, that
it was literally possible to stand under the shadow of one's own
hatbrim, and be sheltered all round. Our navigators experienced
considerable difficulty in taking their noon-tide observations, as the
sun appeared to dodge about in every direction.
About two o'clock we made the high land of St. Antonio, one of the
Cape de Verde Islands, and, soon afterwards, the lower land of St
Vincent. Some doubt existing as to the prevalence of fever at the
latter place, Tom decided not to stop there, for fear of having to
undergo quarantine at Rio de Janeiro.
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