United States exploring expeditions. Voyage of the U.S. exploring squadron, commanded by Captain Charles Wilkes ... in 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, and 184

The first days in September were clear, bright, and beautiful; immense shoals of flying fish disported about the prows of the ships, or darted through the air to escape from their voracious pursuers; and beautiful dolphins, and " deep-sea" sharks, were seen in every direction. In the morning of the 6th, they encountered a huge cotton-wood tree, one hundred and twenty feet in length, and fourteen feet in circumference; all covered over with barnacles, and much eaten by the tere-dine, or sea borer; and probably thousands on thousands of miles from the place where it grew--on the banks of the Mississippi. In the afternoon of the 9th instant, they passed in sight of the Peak of Pico, one of the Azores, or Western Islands, and on the following day made the northern coast of St. Michael's, belonging to the same group, a high and mountainous island, but exceedingly fertile, and dotted with groves and villas, and rich cultivated fields, which could just be discerned with the glass.