August - 1833 South Atlantic Ocean. The sea is very smooth. In fact the weather since leaving the U.S. has been remarkably fine, with occ[illegible] on occasion to strike a royal, except from caution. 24th S. Lat. 29° 16' W. Lon. 27° 34' Wind N. 8 kn. Two sails in sight. 25th S. Lat. 30° 03' W. Lon. 23° 33' Wind N. 8 kn. The first individuals of the large grey Albatross (Diomedea exulans) were seen today. This wonderful bird has a most striking appearance when seen from afar, sailing noiselessly, and seemingly without a motion, or a single vibration of its wide spreading wings. I was never more vividly reminded of a "spirit brooding over the surface of the waves" (Ossian) than when looking at one of these birds just after sunset, at a distance of about half a mile, with its head presented, and keeping at its usual distance of about ten feet from the water. 26th S. Lat. 30° 32' W. Lon. 19° 58' Wind N. 9 kns. 27th S. Lat. 31° 10' W. Lon. 15° 33' Wind N. 8 kn. August - 1833 South Atlantic Ocean. Another species made its appearance among the birds today; - the "Cape hen" (so called by the sailors) which proved on being captured to be Procellaria gigas 28th S. Lat. 31° 38' W. Lon. 12° 33' Wind N. 4 kn. Soundings for temperature today gave the following results Surf. t. = 61° at 100 f. = 58° at 450 f. = 43° The Cape pigeons have increased very much in numbers, and flock around the ship to the number of perhaps fifty at a time. They fly to the head when the cook's relishes are thrown overboard, and alighting amongst it with a chattering noise they quarrel with each other for the choice bits, and dive for those that sink. In individuals in two instances had rags tied to their legs, showing them to have been caught before. Several individuals were taken with hooks baited with pork, and others by being entangled in cotton thread which was towed overboard in the wind Two or three large Albatrosses are