mass falls again it makes a noise like the found of a cannon.

One night while we were at fupper, our veffel had fo extraordinary and convulfive a motion, that, not knowing what to think of it, we haftily quitted the table and ran to the deck; the alarm was general on board ; Vangenep thought we had dragged our anchors, and drifted against a rock, but convinced by the fituation of the other veffels, that we had not changed our pofition, he immediately gave up that idea. Our anxiety redoubled, and we eagerly fought the cause of this extraordinary motion, when we difcovered a Cachalot, who at the moment rose a-head of us. He had doubtless entangled his tail (the fins of which spread to an amazing width) between our cables, which happened to be croffed, and in his furious efforts to difengage himself had violently shook, and yet continued to agitate the vef

fel.

fel. Our people jumped into the fhallops, and got ready their harpoons, but unhappily the obfcurity of the night retarded those manœuvres which were neceffary for the taking of it, and before the fhallops were ready it difengaged itself and made its escape. They were all disappointed, myself very much fo, and I continued to regret it till chance threw another in my way, and gave me an opportunity of fatisfying my curiofity.

The danger over, we replaced ourselves at table, and as falfe alarms ufually create mirth, amused ourselves with bantering each other, and fpeaking ludicrously of the different impreffions which fear had made on each.

The regularity and vigilance with which the orders of Vangenep were given on this occafion, was a certain indication that he conceived our fituation to be extremely

dan

dangerous; but his fears were not conspicuous; and it is certain that courage and coolness often mask dangers, and encourage the multitude. Such will ever be the conduct of a good officer. Confternation foon spreads itself, when once the men fee dismay painted on the features of their Captain. I could not help reflecting on the difference between this scene and the former one, on my croffing the line, when we were fo fhamefully cannonaded. as before related.

In Saldanha Bay, there is a little ifle called Daffen-Ifland, or (the isle of monkies) I do not know whether those animals were formerly found there, but I never faw any of them. By common tradition, I learned that a Danish veffel being hindered by contrary winds from entering the road at the Cape, had taken fhelter in this Bay; where, after fome little stay the Captain died, and was

buried in this island by his crew, who had erected a monument over him.

Every time I went to Schaapen ifland, as we approached this place, a kind of hollow found, which had fomething dreadful in it, ftruck my ear. I spake of this to the Captain; he answered, that if I had the smallest inclination that way, we would pay it a vifit, for that he himself fhould like to see the Danish tomb. The next morning he gave orders accordingly, and we fet off on this expedition.

In proportion, as we approached this place the noise excited our curiofity, the more so, as the sea breaking with violence against the rocks (which form a kind of rampart round this ifland) feemed to reecho the hollow buzzing, the cause of which we could not poffibly divine. At length we arrived, I cannot fay we landed, for the earth was covered with water,

and

and the furf was fo violent that we were every moment covered with it.

With great difficulty and danger we climbed up the rocks and gained the level plain. Never did a more extraordinary fpectacle prefent itself to mortal eye! There arofe from the whole furface of the ifle, an impenetrable cloud which formed, at about forty or fifty feet above our heads, an immense canopy, or rather sky of birds of all forms, and of all colours: cormorants, fea-gulls, fwallows, pelicans, all the feathered inhabitants of the air who frequent this part of Africa, feemed af fembled in this place; while all their various croakings mingled together, and modified according to their different kinds, formed music, that I was every moment obliged to ftop my ears in order to diminish the din, and afford myself some relaxation.

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