One feature of great interest in these latitudes is the presence of sea-birds. The noble Albatross, the king of sea-birds, is almost always in sight, floating in the air about the vessel, no matter how fast she goes. Its wings seldom move, and what its propelling power is, no one can tell. It seems to depend only on its volition. The Stormy Petrel or "Mother Carey's Chicken," is here and everywhere else on the ocean. The pretty white and black Cape Pigeons flock in the wake. We caught several of these with small fish-hooks, and tried their value as component parts of a pigeon-pie, but the flavor was rather strong and oily. The homely, black Cape Hens are numerous also. They always bring to my mind a scene witnessed on a former voyage. Coming on deck one Sunday, I found the mate and passengers engaged in tying pieces of pork and bits of red flannel at each end of a string and throwing them overboard. The Cape Hens greedily swallowed the pork, and several of them were flying about with streamers hanging from their mouths; another trick was to tie several pieces of pork to the same string. Two or three birds darting at these, and each swallowing a piece, they would rise in the air tied together. I took the part of the hens on this occasion, and let the mate brace the yards for a while. The weather was cool in these latitudes, and it was no longer agreeable to sit on deck. Our evenings were usually passed in the cabin, and I employed some of the hours in reading to the passenger an account of my experiences in the ship _Dublin_. I explained to him that it was written while I was officer of a ship, and had no leisure to attempt literary embellishment. Its sole object was to record the events relating to the management of the crew, and I requested him to forbear criticism of its style. CHAPTER III. THE VOYAGE OF THE "DUBLIN."