A TUSSLE WITH AN ALBATROSS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1608, 16 July 1887, Page 3

A TUSSLE WITH AN ALBATROSS.

The following ia from a book entitled " Three Years of a Wanderer's L'fe," by John F. Keane :—" There ia a famous story of a man having kept himself afloat, after falling overboard, until picked up, by seizing hold of an albatross that came within reach. There is nothing improbable in this. I have been overboard with an albatross myself, and found the bird quite manageable in the water. I was one day catching cipehens and molly-hawks with a fine twine lino and light, hook made from a needle, when a large albatross plumped suddenly down on my bait, and was hooked before I could prevent him. The ship wbb barely moving through the wtter, so that I was able, altar a long time, to keep him on and play the big bird right up to the stern. Now came the crisis—would my line lift him out of the water ? 1 thought it would. I laieed hia weight gently, pulled cautiously up—another foot and I would have been able to grasp his neck. At that moment he gave a wave of hia wings; the extra resistance broke the twine, and down be flopped into the water, wings extended, but making no ! effort to leave the spot. For a second or two he lay still under me, almost within my reach and yet free. Off I went on to him, seized a wing in my right hand, and found myself having a regular rough and tumble with the bird in the water. It never offered to bite. I was able to change hands, and get the struggling bird by the feet with my right hand ; then, drawing my breast over his tail, I grabbed the neck wifcli my left hand. I had a pretty hard tussle to do this, for the bird was very strong, and fought from tinder me ; but when! had the neck in my left hand I let go the fe*»t with my right, ..ml took hold of the right wing close to the body. I had onlv dropped astern about ten yards ii d< lug tl.i«, Hut now ~tbu b'rd swam with me on its back, jand I

i was able to ateer it after the abip. I made great way, overhauled the ship, and swam right alongside. A rope's end was thrown to me, and 1 made the bird fast, let it go, and saw it hauled on board, swimming witL the ship. Afterwards I went up the rope's end myself, having actually caught and mastered an albatross in the water.