e the component part. If force could have been used
to prevent the consummation of this deed, that mess had not dined that
day: but as the crew on board of a man-of-war have no other recourse but
to report their grievances to the first lieutenant, and that not being
deemed advisable in such a case, these men were allowed to eat the
albatross. Now I do not pretend to identify the captor of the bird, nor
was I able to point out the person who ate the greater portion of him
when transformed into a pie; but it so happened that the next morning,
about seven bells, the ship was alarmed by the cry of "A man overboard!"
This is an appalling sound at any time; but when the ship is making ten
knots, with a heavy sea on, the chances for a fellow-creature's fate,
make the moment one of dreadful anxiety, and especially to the
commander, one of fearful responsibility; as to save one life, that of
ten or more must be risked. Ready for the occasion, ours never
hesitated. The ship was put about at once, and as her headway was
reduced, a boat prepared for lowering, volunteers to the rescue called
away, and the boat at once so crowded as to make it necessary to order
men out of her before she could be let down. She had barely touched the
water, when the men gave way; but now came the difficulty, which way to
steer? Our velocity had been so great as to leave the poor fellow miles
astern; and as every one had been engaged at his station in wearing
ship, the bearings of the place where he was struggling for dear life
had become confused. Twenty voices shouted out "Pull there!" "Pull
here!" and as many hands pointed to as many different directions. Our
commander, who had carefully scanned the surrounding waters, and had
shown the greatest solicitude for the fate of the poor fellow, combined
with that steady coolness so necessary in such moments, ordering
silence, made a signal for the boat to pull towards a spot where a
number of albatross were hovering. The midshipman in the boat at last
comprehending the signal, pulled as directed; and then, after hoisting
in what appeared to be the life-buoy, which had been let go on the first
alarm, headed for the ship. To lessen the distance, in such a heavy
swell, the ship also approached the boat; and as she bent her head
gracefully towards that which she had so long sustained at her side, I
could hardly divest my mind of the idea that she was possessed of
instinct, and sought with maternal eagerness her