mss142-vasilevShishmarev-i3-015

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ailment. In consequence of which, two men were bled the
same evening.

Approaching the northern tropic [the tropic of Cancer],
the trade winds increased and the heat subsided. On May 7th,
we crossed it at longitude 169° 28' E. Here, the sea was
covered with some kind of vesicular organism, which was de-
voured by immense flocks of storm petrels of a tawny color.
These birds we called the stupid ones because, alighting on
the masts and on the nets, they allowed themselves to be
caught with our bare hands. We were very happy with these
guests; they furnished us a very pleasant change of food for
a few days. Their meat, similar to ducks, is very tasty.

Until May 12th, the monotony of the trip was not in-
terrupted by anything, but now and then near the vessel,
especially when it went fast, appeared schools of dolphins,
which, jumping out from under the bow, outdistanced the sloop,
and [swam] as though wallowing in the foam formed under the
bilge from the resistance of the water during the movement of
the ship in cutting the waves. The sailors struck them with
harpoons from the blindage yards, but could pull up just one.
The others broke loose, and immediately, with the sight of
blood, were torn to pieces by the rest of them. Their flesh
is rather tasty.

On that day we arrived at parallel 31° 34'. Midshipman
Hall came to our captain with documents from the "Discovery";
the captain immediately left with him. The Captain returned