59^ Voyage of the Novara. 



light with clouds almost as suddenly at times as though there 

 were an eclipse ; a long heavy swell, which knocked the 

 good ship about with an unceasing and most disagreeable 

 motion, without nevertheless our being able to advance one 

 single mile in the twenty -four hours ; the depressing mo- 

 notonous flapping and filling of the sails, which, with the 

 rolling and pitching of the shi]), now bellied out and then 

 fell idly back against the masts and yards, straining the 

 rigging and cordage, and keeping a constant indescribable 

 but most irritating noise — such is a faint sketch of the 

 miseries of voyagers caught by an equatorial calm in a 

 sailing vessel ! How one longs for a good hearty storm, if 

 only to drive us out of this truly dismal plight ! How in the 

 monotony of such an existence does a quite insignificant 

 circumstance at once assume the proportions of an important 

 event ! The most trifling incident on board, the most 

 imperceptible object which becomes visible in either atmo- 

 sphere or water, attracts universal attention, and gives rise to 

 discussions by the hour. One day some one perceived a 

 dark object floating in the distance; when the frigate got 

 near this proved to be the trunk of a tree, almost 100 feet 

 long, and though at best w^e could only have used it as fire- 

 wood, a boat w^as forthwith manned and dispatched to tow 

 it along-side. A few black Albatrosses suffered themselves 

 to be hauled contentedly along upon the floating trunk, 

 somewhat astonishing us by their being found so near the 

 equator. Only by dint of considerable exertion was the 



