Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-11-09

food. The kidneys exactly resembled a
pint OF small grapes enclosed in thin
transparent pellicle. The rapidity with
which these creatures swim is astonish-
ing. Instead Of the lazy tumbling and
rolling Of those in our bays and harbors,
these play back and forward, and across
the bows, though the ship is going eight
or ten miles an hour and with the most
evident ease and gaiety, sometimes leap
ing entirely out Of the water, and SEEM
ingto enjoy themselves greatly.
We had scarcely done with the porpoise,
when " sail was announced. BY keep
ing away a little, we soon came near
enough to perceive with the glass, that
she was a whaler, with q whale along
side, from which they were hosting the
last sheets Of blubber, and soon after cut
adrit the carcass. 1t foated by US, at a
little distance, covered with huge and
ravenous birds pulling it to peices, while
multitude ofsmaller ones swan around,
picking up the scattered fragments. We
soon spoke the ship, and found her to be
the Samuel Robertson, of New Bedford,
out ninety days. The captain politely Of
fered to send boat, ifany Of us wished to
CRAFTY our curiosity, and several Of our
gentlemen gladly availed themselves Of
the opportunity. Theyfound her "tem-
perance ship" in fine order, and after
spending half an hour, and leaving some
tracts, newspapers, &C., returned with
present of two fine albatrosses (DiOmedeG
eEElGns,) measuring eleven feet across the
wings. Unaccustomed to injury from
man, they seem no wise afrighted, and
sat quietly on deck Their long wings,
and short legs, render it impossible for
them to rise in fight from fat solid sur
face. They were entirely inofensive =
though, when provoked, they snapped
violently ct the person, uttering shrill
loud sound, not unlike the braying Of a
mule. They cannot stand upon their feet
minute, but continue squatting, as on
the water In walking, their awkward
ness is really ludicrous, while their enor-
nous palmated foot comes down each time
: with a heavy slap. Though the largest
ofAll aquatic birds, they fly with great
ease, seldom moving the wing; now skim
ming gracefully along the surface Of the
water, adroitly conforming to its undula-
tons, and now soaring aloh like an eagle.
They are continually seen in this region,
hundreds OF miles from land, and at night
rsPose at pleasure on the surface of the
deep. They prey upon fying-fsh,
spawn, moluscae, dead carcasses, SC, and
are generally in good condition.
GssnTau 90 Enr ontira u-aaly ,,,o
have been going six or seven miles an
hour, day and night, on our exact course,
enjoying mild weather, but with excessive
dews, rendering the deck unsafe for eve
ming walks. This morning at sunrise
the wind lulled to a three knot breeze, and
has continued so all day, giving us fine
opportunity for our worship. 1t is re-
markable, that as yet, every Sabbath but
one has been calm, and pleasant enough
FOR service on deck.
An uncommon scene has been before
Us all day. Since daylight we have been
sailing through vast multitudes of the
Portuguese man Of war;" (HokOcuriG
physatis,) and so il continued till night
though we have gone forty miles. They
extended on every side as, far as the eye
could reach, varying in size from that of
the palm of the hand, to that of finger
nail, and close enough to average, proba-
bly,, one to every two cubic feet. We
readily caught some 10 basket. They
are eliptical in shape, about as thick as
common pasteboard, with a sail of the
same thickness, extending diagonally
from one end to the other. This position
oftheir sail makes them always seem to
Detailing "onN wind" and not directly
before it Beneath is a cavity, CORES
ponding TO the base Of the sail. The in
terror OF thu is filed with small short
tubes, like mouths, and from the edge OF
IL hang numerous long tentacles, like roots
The sail is white, the body, or horizontal
past, Is or q beautiful silvery lead color,
inciining 10 deep blue at the circumfer,
ence, and after il has been kept some time
in q glass, taking on an edge tint of rose
Il has no bones nor shell. The sailors
considered il poisonous TO the touch, but
i handled them Cautiously at first, OIL
course, without any i'll effect.
Our Bible class continues to be exceed
ingly -intsresting, and generally hold.
ncareftwo hours than one. find, how
syer. thatit costs me more effort than
anticipaied.s The questions asked by suci
q class, are not Of ready solution AL
take a deep interest in it, and 2repar,
themselves BY study. We use no tex
book.
Tebs Continued.
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