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- CHAPTER XXXIX.
They Fall In With Strangers
After quitting the Parki, we had much calm weather, varied by light
breezes. And sailing smoothly over a sea, so recently one sheet of
foam, I could not avoid bethinking me, how fortunate it was, that the
gale had overtaken us in the brigantine, and not in the Chamois. For
deservedly high as the whale-shallop ranks as a sea boat; still, in a
severe storm, the larger your craft the greater your sense of security.
Wherefore, the thousand reckless souls tenanting a line-of- battle ship
scoff at the most awful hurricanes; though, in reality, they may be
less safe in their wooden-walled Troy, than those who contend with the
gale in a clipper.
But not only did I congratulate myself upon salvation from the past,
but upon the prospect for the future. For storms happening so seldom in
these seas, one just blown over is almost a sure guarantee of very many
weeks’ calm weather to come.
Now sun followed sun; and no land. And at length it almost seemed as if
we must have sailed past the remotest presumable westerly limit of the
chain of islands we sought; a lurking suspicion which I sedulously kept
to myself However, I could not but nourish a latent faith that all
would yet be well.
On the ninth day my forebodings were over. In the gray of the dawn,
perched upon the peak of our sail, a noddy was seen fast asleep. This
freak was true to the nature of that curious fowl, whose name is
significant of its drowsiness. Its plumage was snow-white, its bill and
legs blood-red; the latter looking like little pantalettes. In a sly
attempt at catching the bird, Samoa captured three tail- feathers; the
alarmed creature flying away with a scream, and leaving its quills in
his hand.
Sailing on, we gradually broke in upon immense low-sailing flights of
other aquatic fowls, mostly of those species which are seldom found far
from land: terns, frigate-birds, mollymeaux, reef-pigeons, boobies,
gulls, and the like. They darkened the air; their wings making overhead
an incessant rustling like the simultaneous turning over of ten
thousand leaves. The smaller sort skimmed the sea like pebbles sent
skipping from the shore. Over these, flew myriads of birds of broader
wing. While high above all, soared in air the daring “Diver,” or
sea-kite, the power of whose vision is truly wonderful. It perceives
the little flying-fish in the water, at a height which can not be less
than four hundred feet. Spirally wheeling and screaming as it goes, the
sea-kite, bill foremost, darts downward, swoops into the water, and for
a moment altogether disappearing, emerges at last; its prey firmly
trussed in its claws. But bearing it aloft, the bold bandit is quickly
assailed by other birds of prey, that strive to wrest from him his
booty. And snatched from his talons, you see the fish falling through
the air, till again caught up in the very act of descent, by the
fleetest of its pursuers.
Leaving these sights astern, we presently picked up the slimy husk of a
cocoanut, all over green barnacles. And shortly after, passed two or
three limbs of trees, and the solitary trunk of a palm; which, upon
sailing nearer, seemed but very recently started on its endless voyage.
As noon came on; the dark purple land-haze, which had been dimly
descried resting upon the western horizon, was very nearly obscured.
Nevertheless, behind that dim drapery we doubted not bright boughs were
waving.
We were now in high spirits. Samoa between times humming to himself
some heathenish ditty, and Jarl ten times more intent on his silence
than ever; yet his eye full of expectation and gazing broad off from
our bow. Of a sudden, shading his face with his hand, he gazed fixedly
for an instant, and then springing to his feet, uttered the long-drawn
sound—“Sail ho!”
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