Notes on the natural history of the Strait of Magellan and west coast of Patagonia made during the voyage of H.M.S. "Nassau" in the years 1866, 67, 68, & 69 / by Robert O. Cunningham.

  • Cunningham, Robert Oliver.
Date:
1871
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Notes on the natural history of the Strait of Magellan and west coast of Patagonia made during the voyage of H.M.S. "Nassau" in the years 1866, 67, 68, & 69 / by Robert O. Cunningham. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    be readily conceived, the circumstances were not favourable for beginning a course of observations on Natural History (with, no doubt, the exception of the phenomena attendant on sea-sickness). I find it, however, recorded in my Journal, that through a mist of “mal de mer” I had my first sight of . stormy petrels (Zhalassidroma pelagica) ; that two small land birds (apparently buntings) made their appearance on board ; and that in the afternoon a fine school of porpoises (Phocena communis) were seen close to the vessel, first showing their dorsal fins and then rolling over so as to exhibit nearly the whole of one side, as they rioted through the stormy water, which for them had no terrors. As I lay awake that night, and listened to the tumult of the elements around, while floods of sea-water poured under the door of my cabin, trans- forming the deck thereof into a pond, in which a variety of books, insufficiently secured in their shelves, were swimming about, I could not help thinking that this was a rather rough beginning of life at sea; and speculating as to how much more of it we were likely to be called upon to endure before the completion of our work. Late on the evening of the 10th we reached Plymouth Sound, and there lay at anchor for the greater part of a week, the weather being, for some time, of a too unsettled nature to. render a fresh start advisable, there being a prevalence of wind and rain every day. Those who have had a like expe- rience will realise the irksomeness and weariness of detention on the coast of England after all farewells had been said, and sympathise with us in our feelings of satisfaction when, on the afternoon of the 17th, a day of mingled showers and sun- shine, but with the wind down and the aspect of things in general promising, orders were received to prepare to go to sea. Accordingly, after sunset the same day, on one of the
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