PROFESSOR SMITH’S JOURNAL. 259 
appearance which diffuses itself over the whole surface of 
the sea, arises from a dissolved slimy matter, which spreads 
its light like that proceeding from phosphorus. ‘The most 
minute glittering particles, when highly magnified, had the 
appearance of small and solid spherical bodies. 
May 28. We saw for the first time this day one of those 
floating islands, often mentioned, and which probably 
come out of one of the rivers of Africa. The Captain per- 
mitted us to put out a boat, in order to examine it. It 
was about 120 feet in length, and consisted of reeds, re- 
sembliig the Donar, and a species of Agrostis? among 
which were still growing some branches of Justicia ; and in 
the midst of these were seen a number of animals (Sepia ) ? 
For many days past the sea-water has been uncommonly 
cold. We were probably in soundings, though we could 
not reach the bottom with a line of 120 fathoms. Iam 
often up at night fishing for marine animals, of some of 
which I make sketches. 
June 2d. We this day got sight of the continent of 
Africa for the first time. The land was very low, but 
we did not approach it sufficiently near to be able to 
describe its appearance. ‘The 3d and 4th we continued 
under the land with a southerly wind. The Captain re- 
solved to stand out again to the westward, which course 
we followed, cruising till the 14th, but found that the wind 
was veering more and more against us, and becoming 
the steady tropical westerly (? easterly) wind. We stood 
in a second time for the coast, and got in sight of it on 
the 18th. In the morning we descried a large vessel. All 
