Upon a further examination of the interior of this portion of the intestine, there was a thickening of the villous coat, with much secretion of mucus, and also of coagulable lymph. The whole of the remainder of the alimentary canal had its external coats very vascular.[81]
The specimen was a female, and, from the similarity of plumage, the others must also be females. The plumage accords with the description given in our works of natural history of this bird. Some bird-fanciers observe, that they can distinguish male from female birds by the sub-scapular feathers near the base; the male birds having always an odd number—as five, seven, nine, eleven; and the females always an even number—as six, eight, twelve, &c., according to the species. But, examining, on a subsequent occasion, a male specimen of this bird, I found no difference of plumage, so as to form a sexual distinction.
The two other birds are perfectly healthy in appearance; but as the dead one was so in its external appearance, it is difficult to judge of their health, if suffering from an obstruction similar to that just described.
We lost the south-east trade in south latitude 29°, and east longitude 39° 40′ east.
On the 4th of February, in the afternoon, the high land about Cape Delgado was seen, bearing north-north-east by compass about forty miles distant. We sounded on the bank in seventy-three fathoms, with a bottom of sand and broken shells: the latitude, at noon, being 34° 57′ south, and longitude 22° 42′ east. On the 6th, at six P.M., Cape L’Agulhas was seen bearing north-north-west by compass, distant about ten miles; and at noon, of the 7th, the Cape of Good Hope was seen, bearing north-east, about forty miles distant. We passed the Cape, with a fine south-east wind, having experienced remarkably fine weather during the whole of this portion of our homeward voyage.
We had a continuation of fine weather and strong south-east winds, which led us to hope that it would carry us at once into the trade-wind, and, by that means, expedite the passage; but in this we were disappointed: for although it carried us until the 14th, on that day in latitude 24° 56′ south, and longitude 4° 00′ east, we had light and variable winds and calms; wind varying from south-east to north-west, very light. This continued until the evening of the 18th, when, in latitude 21° 57′ south, and longitude 1° 5′ east, we had a fresh trade-breeze.
About nine A.M., when in latitude 23° 45′ south, and longitude 2° 50′ east, on the 16th of February, having fine weather and calms, and light airs from south-west, a large piece of the Laminaria buccinalis, or trumpet-weed of the Cape, measuring, probably, twelve or fourteen feet in length, floated by the ship. It is one of that species of the marine flora, which may justly be considered as giants. This specimen appeared, covered with various kinds of crustacea, which made me regret I could not procure it. The long, tuberous stalk was nearly stripped (I suppose by the action of the waves) of its long, flat, and expansive fronds. This is in favour of the current, which is stated to set to the north-west, between the Cape and St. Helena. We, however, have not experienced any since the first day we left the Cape, when we had on that day sixteen miles of current during the twenty-four hours.
On the following day, (17th,) another piece of the same kind of weed was seen at a short distance from the ship; and this was the last we discerned, having seen two specimens, one in the morning, the other in the afternoon of the previous day. On the 17th, we were in latitude 22° 58′ south, and longitude 1° 56′ east. We saw no more of the weed after this day.
From the 18th we experienced a very light trade wind, so that we did not make the island of St. Helena until the 23d at noon, when it was seen bearing north-west-by-west by compass, and distant about thirty miles. We drifted a short distance to leeward during the night; we however soon beat up, passed high, rugged, volcanic rocks, towering and gloomy, descending in abrupt precipices to the water’s edge; and passed Buttermilk Point, about which every ledge either was fortified by small batteries, or by a solitary gun, on the sides of mountains of a towering height. After opening this point, the anchorage and town appears to the view; and by 8 A.M. we had anchored off James’s Town (February 24.)