Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-08-15
RIDING AN ALBATROSS.
An Ancient Mariner Relates n Queer Adj
venture in the Southern Ocean.

All the southern ocean birds can be
kept alive for any length of time in
cold weather, and with perfect COM
fort to themselves, on a ships deck,
says a writer in the Boston Commercial
Bulletin. They require some attention,
but there should be no difficulty about
bringing the gigantic wandering al
batross to Europe in a properly cooled
compartment to carry it through the
tropics.
kept an albatIoss for six weeks,
giving it a good bath every morning
and tying its feet up in constantly wet
flannel bags to keep the delicate men,
brane of the web from injury. 1t re-
fused to eat at first, but l overcame its
objections by hitting it on the beak
with pieces of pork until it snapped at
them, and getting a slice in its mouth
it swallowed it from mere force of
habit. killed it when we reached the
tropics and found it the fattest alba
tross l ever skinned.
If the wandering albatross were in
troduced into our hemisphere it would
indeed be noble addition to our
birds. l can see no reason why it
should not be; its lesser congener
thrives well enough.
There is a famous story of man
having kept himself afloat, after fall
ing overheard, until picked up, by
seizing hold of an albatross that came
within reach. There is nothing i'm
probable in this. l have been over
board with an albatross myself and
found the bird quite manageable in
the water. | was one day catch
ing cape hens and mollyhawks with a
fine twine line and light hook made
from bent needle, when large alba
tross pumped suddenly down on my
bait and was hooked before / could
prevent him. The ship was barely
moving through the water, so that /
was able after long time to keep him
on and play the big bird right up to
the stern. Now came the crisis
would my line lift him out of the wa
terP l thought it would. | raised his
weight gently, pulled cautiously up
another foot, and | would have been
able to grasp the neck. AT that moment
he gave awave of his wings; the extra
resistance broke the twine and down he
Topped into the water, wing extended,
but making no effort to leave the spot.
For second or two he lay still under
me, almost within my reach and yet
free. OFF | went onto to him, seized
wing in my right hand and found
myself having regular rough and
tumble with the bird in the water. 1t
never offered to bite. | was able to
change hands and get the struggling.
brute by the feet with my right hand;
then drawing my breast up over his
tail l grabbed the neck with my left
hand. had a pretty hard tussle to
do this, for the bird was very strong
and fought from under me; but when
l had the neck in my left hand let go
the feet with my right and took hold
of the right wing close to the body.
had only dropped about ten var DIS
astern in doing this, but now the bird
swan with me on its back, and I was
able to steer it after she ship. / made
great way, overhauled the ship, and
swan right alongside. A ropes end
was thrown me, and / made the bird
fast, let it go, and saw it hauled on
board, swimming with the ship. Af-
forwards went up the ropes-end my
self, having actuslly caught and mas
tered an albatross in the water by
hand, a feat in bird pursuit to be
proud of as an ornithologist or a
sailor.