How she manages to slip along as she does, four or five knots
an hour, with not sufficient wind to blow a candle out, is a marvel to
every one on board. More than once, when the hand-log has shown that
we were going five knots, I have carried a naked light from one end of
the deck to the other without its being extinguished.
The sunrise was magnificent, and a splendid albatross, the largest we
have yet seen, was at the same time visible in mid-air, floating
against the rose-coloured clouds. He looked so grand, and calm, and
majestic, that one could almost fancy him the bird of Jove himself,
descending direct from the sun. Where do these birds rest? How far and
how fast do they really fly? are questions for the naturalist. We have
seen them many times at a distance of at least two thousand miles from
the nearest land.
About nine o'clock there was a slight breeze, but it fell as the sun
rose, and the day was intensely hot.
_Friday, November 24th_.--A fine breeze in the early morning, which,
however, gradually died away. Having now quitted the regular track of
the trade winds and got into the variables, we lighted fires at two
o'clock. Then another light breeze sprang up for a few minutes, only
to fall away again immediately, and at six o'clock we commenced to
steam.
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