weather permit, as the seamen say."




CHAPTER V.


The next day the ship was off Rio, and immediately sent her boats for
provisions and supplies; the passengers did not land, as the captain
stated that he would not stay an hour longer than was necessary, and on
the second evening after their arrival they again made sail for the
Cape.

The gulls were flying in numbers astern of the ship, darting down and
seizing every thing edible which was thrown overboard, and the
conversation turned upon aquatic birds.

"What difference is there in the feathers of aquatic birds and others?"
inquired Alexander; "a hen, or any land bird, if it falls into the
water, is drowned as soon as its feathers are saturated with the water."

"There is, I believe, no difference in the feathers of the birds,"
replied Mr. Swinton; "but all aquatic birds are provided with a small
reservoir, containing oil, with which they anoint their feathers, which
renders them water-proof. If you will watch a duck pluming and dressing
itself, you will find it continually turns its bill round to the end of
its back, just above the insertion of the tail; it is to procure this
oil, which, as it dresses its feathers that they may carefully overlap
each other, it smears upon them so as to render them impenetrable to the