The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6788, 27 February 1890, Page 2

The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner.

It was not an ancient mariner, and he did not stop one of three. But it was a strange story of an albatross. Since the albatross was " hailed in God's naiao," and (after being shot with a crossbow, and a most improper rhynie)plagued and worried the ancient mariner — who wouldn't let hie friend see the wedding — and hi 3 whole j unhappy ship's company, no bird of that majestic race has done anything- so extra- j ordinary 5 unless it be the bird which j brought the tin message from the Frenchmen lest in the Crozafcs. That albatross will live in legend as the bird who died to get his message to civilisation. For the albatross of the other day it is claimed that he has confirmed the former legend by exhibiting the same spirit. Being liberated from the Janet Court in 4Sdeg S., and lG4.3odeg E., with a message which, for all he knew, was an urgent appeal for help, this albatross spreading his " sail-broad vans " scoured the empyrean until he sighted a ship ploughing the sea not far from the Snares, which turned out to be the Jasper, Captain Rogers ; whereupon, descending, he made signs that he wanted to be taken on board, which the mariners interpreting faithfully — with the ready intelligence belonging to the salt sea foam — they threw him a bait and hauled him on board. If he really wanted to serve his friends of the Janet Court the bird was a more jjractical albatross than the fellow who carried the Crozets* message. He is not, it is said, to be blamed for thinking the Janet Court was in distress for she was main deep iii the water, even to the uncritical eye of an albatross who knows nothing of ships' surveyors and their certificates. On the whole, if we are to accept this story without the proverbial grain, it appears as if the race of albatross were developing intelligence very rapidly. The birds are, however, yet a long way from the form they exhibited when the friend of S. T. Coleridge made their acquaintance, and j somewhat painfully studied their habits on the lonely ocean.