54 STILLNESS OF THE NIGHT. 



the burning region of the torrid zone, the de- 

 scent of the sun calls into action myriads of 

 little beings which could not exist under the 

 fierce glare of his meridian ray ; whereas here, 

 on the contrary, it is the signal for universal 

 repose. 



This period of the day had no sooner arrived 

 in Magdalena Bay than there was a stillness 

 which bordered on the sublime — a stillness 

 which was interrupted only by the bursting of 

 an iceberg, or the report of some fragment of 

 rock loosened from its hold. These sounds, in- 

 deed, which came booming over the placid 

 surface of the bay, could hardly be considered 

 interruptions to the general silence, for, speedily 

 dying away in the distance, they left behind a 

 stillness even more profound than before. 



In the day-time the presence of our expedi- 

 tion was not disregarded. The birds shunned 

 us in their flight, and every noise which was oc- 

 casionally made, sounding strange to the place, 

 sent to a greater distance the sea-gulls that 

 were fishing among the rocks, and kept on 

 the alert whole herds of animals, many of which 

 would otherwise have been lost in sleep ; caus- 

 ing them to raise their heads when anything 

 fell upon our deck, and to cast a searching 

 look over the bay, as if to inquire whence so 



