The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-01-21
THE STORMY Petrol

| This Omlnous hlrhiagnr oiIhc deep il seen nearl,
ihorg hout the whole cNpnnsn of the Atlantic, from
| Newfoundland 10 the tropical parts Of America
! whaHgo Il wandcTs even 10 Africa aud the cost q
Spalue, fom the Ignorance and superstition o
MARINERS, an uniLyoIaLo prejudice has long beer
entertained against these adventurous aud hlrmIcs
wandcgS. AMI as sinister messengers If lU' storm
! IN which tuay are often Involved 'ih the lcssr
th'' I1'Iow ih"y haNo been uug'y -'ip,ril ID
/ ~ l'ln nruu Of stormy 'cri r., Devil BIRDS. and
! Mother tur, : Chickens, At Dcnrl, all ~. On,
OF the yca' these swallow pciie's, ia sdal,-l1gks
are seen wandering almost alone, over the wide
waste Of the ocean. On the edge Of souudlNgs, rs
she loses SIGH, Of The distant hrIdIand ,umd auuch,
rs npon the depths OF The unbound aud ltmlul
lb's, of waters, ilucks of these dark swift 4 inr
aud ominlous birds begin 10 shoot around the ,es.
'cI, and finally take their station in her ioaming
Wakc. IN this situation, rs humble dependents,
lhnl Follow Ion her pilance of r,Ic constantly aud
kocn!y watching the ngllated surge fOr any floating
| nI'GsnH and are extremely gratied with any kind
OF Lat animal matter thrown overheard, which the,
| uyHlllhly discover, however small the m0rsl, ~
mountainous and lnHung the raging wave on viii III
ii may happen 10 float. On making such discovery
llty suddenly stop IN their airy ald swallow hike
ll,gl, and whir Instantly down to the water. --.
Sometimes nine or len thus cIowcd together like a
il1as Of chickens ScrlmbuI for the same lnuI,cl
at tn >luc Time pllicrng on the water with their
feet, rs il walking Oh the suffice, they balance
Themselves with Gently tTcring and oulsprcad
wings, and often dip down thfr heads TO collect the
.InSaP uhI rI in pursuit. On other occasions as If
s'ahing relief from their almost perpetual exercise
of lshI they jirk anl hop widely over the water,
re-buGalng a. their feet touch iho surface, with
great usi'lty and alrrIne's. There !, something
cheerful and amusing in the sight Of these lillc
NoGNS, steadily following after The vessel, 50 light
AMI un'on 'uru'tl across the drcary ocean. Dung
4 gilc it u truly Interesting To witness their mirc-
p,li'y aud address. i'mpplIIcd By the storm that
strikes terror into the beast of the mariner they
are seen Cuursing Wild, aud rapidly oycr the
waves, descending their sides, then mounting with
the hrcdk'ng surge which threatened To burs, over
their heads; sweeping through the hollow waves rs
IN Il Sheltered valley, and HgIin mOuislng with the
rl'ilg hl.ow, the Petrol trips aud jerks spoli,cy
nid securely ON thu SurlIcc Of the toughest sc.l
dciying the horrors Of the storm, and like sumr
mlsf being seems 10 take delight in hraNnr over
whulnng dangers. AT other Times we see these
'ir.l1l messengers p'ayiuIly crossing from side to
side IN Tic wake of lc ip,nlakny excursions far
aud vide on every side, now in advance. then far
behind, returning again 10 the vessel us il she were
stationary, though moving at the most rupid rate.
little after dark they generally cease their ardu-
on, cuursa, aud take their uninterrupted rest upon
lht water, arrhing in tn wake Of The vessel they
hid leii, ~ have observed. hy about nine or lea,
O'Clock of The following morning. In this way we
were luUwofcl by the sinlr ilocl, Of birds 10 the
standings Of IbD Azores, aud until We came in si.ht
If the Isle 81 Flores
According 10 Button the Petrol acquires its name
from the Apostle Peter, who is also said 10 hive
tl4 4