Volume I Part 14 (1/2)

Now, sailors love marvels, and love to repeat thee opinings, concerning the pheno, as destitute of sound philosophic probability, the extravagant notion of one ofhimself--namely: that the phosphoresence of the sea is caused by a coolden locks, all torn and disheveled, do irradiate the waters at such times; I proceed to record ht, perhaps, impute the phenomenon to a peculiarly electrical condition of the atmosphere; and to that solely But herein, my scientific friend would be stoutly contradicted by ent seae quantities of putrescent animal matter; hich the sea is well known to abound

And it would seem not unreasonable to suppose, that it is by this ed with the luminous principle Draw a bucket of water from the phosphorescent ocean, and it still retains traces of fire; but, standing awhile, this soon subsides Now pour it along the deck, and it is a streaitation E to it tenaciously; and every stave seenition of the sea can not be wholly produced by deadfish, phosphorescent; and, under certain conditions, by a rapid throwing off of luely contribute to the result Not to particularize this circumstance as true of divers species of sharks, cuttle-fish, and er varieties of the finny tribes; the myriads of ht alone be deemed almost sufficient to kindle a fire in the brine

But these are only surmises; likely, but uncertain

After science comes sentiment

A French naturalist maintains, that the nocturnal radiance of the fire-fly is purposely intended as an attraction to the opposite sex; that the artful insect illuminates its body for a beacon to love

Thus: perched upon the edge of a leaf, and waiting the approach of her Leander, who cos the aroossaallant

But alas, thrice alas, for the poor little fire-fish of the sea, whose radiance but reveals thehts the way to their destruction

CHAPTER xxxIX They Fall In With Strangers

After quitting the Parki, we hadsmoothly over a sea, so recently one sheet of foa ale had overtaken us in the brigantine, and not in the Chah as the whale-shallop ranks as a sea boat; still, in a severe storreater your sense of security Wherefore, the thousand reckless souls tenanting a line-of- battle shi+p scoff at the h, in reality, they may be less safe in their wooden-walled Troy, than those who contend with the gale in a clipper

But not only did I congratulate myself upon salvation from the past, but upon the prospect for the future For stor so seldouarantee of very many weeks' calm weather to coth it almost seemed as if we must have sailed past the remotest presuht; a lurking suspicion which I sedulously kept to myself However, I could not but nourish a latent faith that all would yet be well

On the ninth day ray of the dawn, perched upon the peak of our sail, a noddy was seen fast asleep This freak was true to the nature of that curious fohose nae was snohite, its bill and legs blood-red; the latter looking like little pantalettes

In a sly atte the bird, Sa aith a screaradually broke in upon ihts of other aquatic fowls, mostly of those species which are seldoate-birds, ulls, and the like They darkened the air; their wingslike the si over of ten thousand leaves The s from the shore Over these, flew h above all, soared in air the daring ”Diver,” or sea-kite, the power of whose vision is truly wonderful

It perceives the little flying-fish in the water, at a height which can not be less than four hundred feet Spirally wheeling and screaoes, the sea-kite, bill foremost, darts doard, swoops into the water, and for a es at last; its prey fir it aloft, the bold bandit is quickly assailed by other birds of prey, that strive to wrest from him his booty And snatched froh the air, till again caught up in the very act of descent, by the fleetest of its pursuers

Leaving these sights astern, we presently picked up the slireen barnacles And shortly after, passed two or three limbs of trees, and the solitary trunk of a pal nearer, seee As noon came on; the dark purple land-haze, which had been di upon the western horizon, was very nearly obscured Nevertheless, behind that di

We were now in high spirits Sa to himself some heathenish ditty, and Jarl ten times more intent on his silence than ever; yet his eye full of expectation and gazing broad off froazed fixedly for an instant, and then springing to his feet, uttered the long-drawn sound--”Sail ho!”

Just tipping the furthest edge of the sky was a little speck, dancing into view every time we rose upon the swells It looked like one ofour view, fell showers of plu doard to the sea

But soon the birds are seen no more Yet there remains the speck; plainly a sail; but too small for a shi+p Was it a boat after a whale? The vessel to which it belonged far astern, and shrouded by the haze? So it seeer's nearer approach; confident, that for so to our being in what lade,” or that part of the ocean upon which the sun's rays flash with peculiar intensity

As the sail drew nigh, its failing to glisten white led us to doubt whether it was indeed a whale-boat Presently, it showed yellow; and Samoa declared, that it er proving a large double-canoe, like those used by the Polynesians in es between distant islands

The Upoluan was now cla athe sail the wind on our quarter--we headed away for the canoe, now sailing at right angles with our previous course

Here it ay cloths and other things provided for barter by the captain of the Parki, I had very strikingly i, and eastern