viii PREFACK 



beyond its rampart-like borders. We do not 

 journey thus far to gather gold, gems, or pearls, 

 neither is our object warlike, although we pur- 

 pose visiting the mailed hosts in and about 

 their strongholds, and investigating the economy 

 of the submarine armour-clads, in their own har- 

 bours. Should the adventure be to your taste, 

 we will, together, explore the keeps, caverns, and 

 points of vantage in which some of these sea 

 champions reside, inspect the armories with 

 which they are furnished, and note the nature and 

 quality of their equipment. As man makes war on 

 his fellow-man, and devises not only weapons of 

 offence and destruction, but shields and defensive 

 armour wherewith to protect himself, so nature— 

 from whom many of the most perfect examples of 

 both have been borrowed by the human race — 

 furnishes to the swordtish,the long and sharp rapier, 

 with which he deals out death to the huge, and 

 mighty whale ; the beautifully barbed spear to the 

 sting rmj, and the dagger-like spines which arm 

 so many of the freebooters of the sea : the massive 

 mail of the turtle ; the castles of exquisite design 



