Chapter IV
The following morning the fresh water and provisions were received on
board, and once more the Pacific stretched her broad canvas to the
winds, and there was every prospect of a rapid voyage, as for many days
she continued her passage with a fair wind and flowing sheet. But this
did not continue: it fell calm, and remained so for nearly three days,
during which not a breath of wind was to be seen on the wide expanse of
water; all nature appeared as if in repose, except that now and then an
albatross would drop down at some distance from the stern of the
vessel, and, as he swam lazily along with his wings half-furled, pick
up the fragments of food which had been thrown over the side.
"What great bird is that, Ready?" inquired William.
"It is an albatross, the largest sea-bird we have. Their wings are very
long. I have seen them shot, and they have measured eleven feet from
the tip of one wing to the tip of the other when the wings have been
spread out."
"It is the first one that I have seen," said William.
"Because you seldom meet them north of the Cape, sir: people do say
that they go to sleep on the wing, balancing themselves high up in the
air.
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