FIRST SIGHT OF SCILLY. 197 



to be kept out by any amount of rugs, cloaks, and 

 tarpaulin, seemed stealthily creeping into the very 

 centres of life. The sensations which fly around sea- 

 sickness need scarcely be alluded to. Constantly, when 

 my intellect was sufficiently disentangled from these 

 sensations to exercise itself, the thought would arise 

 that pleasanter far was the pursuit of zoology in com- 

 fortable homes (where Mr Lloyd of Portland Road, or 

 Mr Bohn of Essex Street, would supply tanks and 

 vases with the desired animals in exchange for vulgar 

 dross, thus brins^ino; the forces of commerce and civil- 

 isation to minister to our pursuits), compared with this 

 harum-scarum method of trusting oneself to " sea- 

 traversing ships," in order to become one's own pur- 

 veyor. This thought would occur. And then the 

 fluctuating intellect passed into self-condemnation at 

 thoughts so base, remorse so ill-timed, cowardice so 

 unzoological. These passing pangs, however unat- 

 tractive, would they not inevitably pass ? And how 

 the released spirit, in its reinstated vigour, would 

 rejoice at having undergone such torments for such 

 weeks of enjoyment. 



As I said, the joyful tidings came at. last. With 

 alacrity I urged my staggering steps up the ladder, 

 and emerged upon the deck, where the bright sunlight 

 revealed a scene, which of itself was repayment and 

 full discharge for any arrears of misery. We were in 

 St Mary's Sound. The islands lay around us, ten 

 times bigger than imagination had prefigured, and 

 incomparably more beautiful. On their picturesque 



