forget the case of those who, unlike us, have no refuge from its fury. Armstrong describes the same feeling, in reference to sleep, under circumstances familar to every one— "O when the growling winds contend, and all Monday, Dec. 30. Within the last two days, we have, for the first time, had sight of a dolphin-one of the most beautiful of the inhabitants of the sea. The general length of this fish appears to be about two feet. In its shape it bears little resemblance to the representation of it seen on vases, and in marine emblems and armorial bearings, but is very similar to the white salmon-trout of the Otsego. When swimming in the water, its colors appear exceedingly delicate and beautiful. The head, back, and upper part of the sides, vary from the hues of burnished steel to that of deep azure and mazarine blue, shading off towards the under parts in pea-green and light yellow. The head fins are sky blue, and those of the tail pale green, terminating in yellow. The dolphin is seldom taken with a hook and line; but, only a short time ago, one was struck with a harpoon, and brought on deck, and we all hastened to witness the reported splendor of its colors when dying. We found them to be as truly beautiful as they have been described; consisting of rapid transitions from the deepest purple, approaching to black, through blue, green, gold of different hues, and several shades of silver, to an almost snow-white, and then to purple again. The sight, however, was painful, from a kind of sympathy with the beautiful sufferer: we could but feel, that the gratification of our curiosity was at the expense of its life. The colors soon became less and less brilliant, and in five minutes entirely disappeared. A large shoal of the boneto were sporting round the ship in company with the dolphin; they are a very active fish, and frequently threw themselves several feet into the air. A WATERSPOUT. PHOSPHORETIC LIGHT. 47 In a waterspout, we have also had one of the phenomena characteristic of the region in which we now are. It was at too great a distance to be seen very minutely. The end nearest the ocean was scarce perceptible, though the agitation of the water under it was very evident; the upper extremity terminated by a tubular expansion- similar in form to the large end of a trumpet -in a heavy black cloud. The part clearly visible was about 300 feet in length, and the cloud not less than 1500 feet in height. There was a shower of rain, almost immediately afterwards, of the largest drops I ever saw. It is perfectly calm, and the ocean glassy as a mirror, which made the appearance of the rain, as it struck the surface of the water, singularly beautiful: as far as the eye could reach the whole sea seemed a plain of glass, studded with diamonds of the first magnitude. Ten o'clock at night. The exhibitions of the day have been followed to-night by a phosphoretic scene of unrivaled splendor and sublimity. We had often before observed luminous points, like sparks of fire, floating here and there in the furrow of our vessel; but now the whole ocean was literally bespangled with them. Notwithstanding the smoothness of the surface, there is a considerable swell of the sea; and sparkling as it did on every part as with fire, the mighty heavings of its bosom were indescribably magnificent. It seemed as if the sky had fallen to a level with the ship, and all its stars, in tenfold numbers and brilliancy, were rolling about with the undulation of the billows. The horizon, in every direction, presented a line of uninterrupted light, while the wide space intervening was one extent of apparent fire. The sides of our vessel appeared kindling to a blaze, and, as her bows occasionally dashed against a wave, the flash of the concussion gleamed half way up the rigging, and illumined every object along the whole length of the ship. By throwing any article overboard, a display of light and colors took place, surpassing in brilliancy and beauty the finest exhibition of fireworks. A charming effect was produced by a line coiled to some length, and then cast into the water at a distance; and also by a bucket of water dashed from the side of the vessel. The rudder too, by its motions, created splendid coruscations at the stern, and a flood of light, by which our track was marked far behind us. The smaller fish were distinctly traceable, by running lines shewing their rapid course; while, now and then, broad gleamings, extending many yards in every direction, made known the movement of some monster of the deep. But minuteness will only weary, without conveying any adequate impression of the scene: it would have been wise, perhaps, only to have said that it was among the most sublime nature herself ever presents. The cause of this phenomenon was long a subject of speculation among men of science, but is now satisfactorily ascertained to be sea-animalculæ of the luminous tribe, particularly the species medusa. The medusa pellucens of Sir Joseph Banks, and the medusa scintillans of Mr. Macartney, emit the most splendid light. The degree and brilliancy of the exhibition are supposed to depend on the state of the atmosphere and sea. A more grand display than that which we have witnessed, probably seldom, if ever, takes place. CHAPTER III. VOYAGE. Monday, Jan. 6. Several days ago we took a fine breeze from the south, which has proved to be the regular trade-wind. The "swamp" was much less formidable than we expected. We have had but little rain, only a short calm, and no thunder-storm, though "the artillery of the heavens" has been heard, almost constantly, at a distance. We crossed the equator, yesterday morning, in longitude 24 deg. west. The heat, though great, has not yet been very oppressive: the mercury, in Fahrenheit, in the shade, has ranged from 79 to 83 deg., and in the sun stands at 116 deg. Thursday, 9. S. lat. 8 deg. 34 min., W. lon. 27 deg. Early to-day, a sail was discovered with signals for speak SLAVE SHIP. FLYING-FISH. 49 ing; and we bore down to her. It was a Portuguese vessel, of very indifferent appearance. Our captain put the Thames so close alongside of her, that an apple could have been thrown on her deck. The commander could not speak English, and hailed through one of his crew. He merely wished to know our longitude; and informed us he was bound to the western coast of Africa. With the knowledge of her destination, the horrors of a slave ship at once rose on the mind; and the probability of her errand to that land of wretchedness, took entire possession of the imagination. The sighing of the captive, and the groaning of the oppressed, seemed already to be heard from her hatchways; and, as we dropped into her wake, gazing at her black hulk and bloody waist-colors well suited to her character. -I could not add, to the farewell wave of the hand, the customary ejaculation, "God speed thee! Never before do I recollect to have been so deeply impressed with the enormity of this trade. I involuntarily shrunk from the sight of men who I believed to be engaged in its cruelties; and felt no inclination, as on similar occasions, to watch the lessening sail till it should sink beneath the horizon. Instead of impressions of beauty, before received from the same object, every look brought with it associations of human misery. Oh! what perversion of feeling, what destitution of principle, must there be in the heart that can, in the light of the present day, convert the ignorance and debasement of those who, though sunk below the level of their race, are still "bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh," into reasons for subjecting them to still greater degradation! Surely, if anything on earth calls loudly for the righteous judgment of God, it is the prosecution of this trade; and sooner or later, the retributions of a just avenger must fall on those who thus make the heavens echo with the moanings of the bereaved, and the earth rich with the tears and blood of the enslaved. Jan. 22. S. lat. 33 deg, W. long. 51 deg. For some time past, the ocean around us has been enlivened by immense numbers of flying-fish exocatus volitans. This is a beautiful animal, six or eight inches in length, and of slen der and delicate form. Until now, I had an impression that it received its name from springing in the air for a moment only, and then sinking into its native element; but within the last fortnight, flocks of forty or fifty, and even a greater number, have risen about our ship, and flown yards before descending again. When in this situation, a person ignorant of their nature could not distinguish them from birds of the same size. The large transparent fins, which they use in flying, have every appearance of wings; and when in a direction opposite to the sun, their whole bodies are of a most dazzling silver white. But in this case, as in that of the dying dolphin, we have been led to commiserate as well as to admire. At most times, when these little creatures thus take flight, it is only to escape from some devouring enemy in close pursuit. We have often caught a glimpse of a boneto darting through the water under them, as they have skimmed along its surface; and once, after watching with delight the lengthened course of an uncommonly beautiful fish, as time after time it dipped for a moment, but scarcely touched the waves before it rose again, and seemed to exert every power to pursue its rapid way, we saw it fall directly into the jaws of some ferocious monster, which, as if doubly ravenous from the chase, leaped partly out of the water to receive it. They seem peculiarly ill-fated; not unfrequently, a flight from the enemies in their proper element, exposes them to the rapacity of others equally destructive; and they become the prey of gulls, cormorants, and other seafowl hovering over the water for food. In their ærial course, they often also come in contact with vessels, and fall helpless captives on the deck. Since taking the south-east trade-wind, we have had most charming weather. The beauty, both of sea and sky, has been such as to attract constant observation; and the perfect clearness of the atmosphere, except a rich bed of clouds floating on the most distant horizon, is peculiarly pleasant, after the gloomy heavens of the "thunder-storm latitudes." We are all in fine health and spirits, and truly happy. Everything, within and without, indicates pros |