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Adventures in the Pacific; With Observations on the Natural Productions, Manners and Customs of the Natives of the Various Islands
Adventures in the Pacific With Observations on the Natural Productions Manners and Customs of the Natives of the Various Islands Author:John Coulter General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1845 Original Publisher: W. Curry, jun. and company Subjects: Oceania Foreign Language Study / African Languages History / General History / Oceania Literary Collections / General Literary Criticism / General Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the ori... more »ginal. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: THE TROPICS. 11 CHAPTER II. THE GREAT BEAUTIES OF A TROPICAL SEA -- ENDLESS VARIETY OF FISH SEA FOWL FINE CLIMATE WESTERN ISLANDS- -- CAPE DE VFJRDS ISLAND OF BRAVA REMARKS ON THE TOWN SLAVE DEPOT -- VISIT TO THE GOVERNOR -- CONSEQUENCES OF WANT OF RAIN -- MISERABLE' STATE OF THE ISLAND DEPARTURE. In running down the latitude and getting within the tropics -- that is, between the latitude 23 N. and S. of the Equator -- the sky is monotonous, and has not that constant variety, as in higher latitudes. It is generally a clear blue, getting a duskier hue as you go on, with an occasional light, small cloud ; but the water affords charming variety -- it becomes of a deep blue colour. You can look deep into it, and then you will perceive that it teems with life. You will see an occasional fly- 12 VARIETY IN THE TROPICS. ing-fish endeavouring to escape from the dolphin ; thousands of bouitos and albicon around, and accompanying the ship ; whales of every kind blowing the water from their spout-holes, and ploughing along, occasionally breaching clear out of water, and exhibiting a sized fish that any Waltonian might well stare at! Hundreds of miles from any land, you will often meet with a turtle floating on the water, and a few birds in the air flying round the ship, such as the Cape pigeon, a beautiful white bird, with a few black spots; the Tropic bird, about the pigeon size, of a pure white, ...« less