NONSUCH 



and spread taut. It had a series of yards or slats like 

 the sails I have seen on Chinese junks. A little for- 

 ward of this was the bridge, or conning towers, — 

 call them what you will, always remembering that 

 the corresponding human structures have been in 

 use a scant three decades. In comparison with the 

 first invention of flounders' controls, this would be 

 about one minute of time to two years. 



Periscope is perhaps the most apposite com- 

 parison, for these were the eyes of the peacock 

 flounder, — two tall, cylindrical elevations which 

 turned and twisted freely in their sockets, one 

 cocked up aloft at me as the fish swam past, or 

 quite independently revolving to cover all points of 

 possible danger. As the volant raft banked sharply I 

 again caught a glimpse of the whitewashed hull, and 

 in the center of this I perceived a keel, — a deep, 

 abrupt one such as is carried by great racing yachts. 

 This was not leadenly quiescent but constantly 

 shifted according to requirements, operating quite 

 independently of the mast and sail on the top deck. 



All this and more I had seen, when the flounder 

 spiralled up to a level with my helmet, then turned 

 and with fin-turbines motionless, sail filled and 

 quiet, it glided smoothly down, volplaning at an 

 even, gentle angle, banking very slightly inward. 

 As it passed my eyes it was as dark as a water- 

 diluted shadow should be, with the blue ornaments 

 barely visible. I watched it curve down out of view 

 behind me, and some instinct impelled me to relax 

 my stiffened limbs and sink slowly to my knees. I 



100 



