THE ALBATROSS. 211 



sky. It made for our ship. It started at an angle 

 of forty-five degrees, and it modified its course 

 into a curving line like part of an ellipse. A 

 trail of fire followed it. It struck the main-top- 

 m'st just above the cap on the head of the 

 main-m'st and exploded with a report like that of 

 a rifle. The sparks flew into the belly of the 

 main-top-s'l. The light blinded my eyes. 



" As soon as I could see again, I looked for my 

 men. They had all tumbled out of sight. I 

 locked the wheel and went for'ard. There I 

 found the crew lying on the deck in the ship's 

 waist — senseless every man Jack of them. After 

 a few minutes they all came to but one. He was 

 a young Portuguese. We carried him down into 

 the cabin and rubbed him and dosed him and put 

 smelling-salts under his nose, and at last he 

 opened his eyes and said, ' Bono Dio, Cap, I don't 

 want see all-same-that again ! ' 



" ( In the morning I examined the mast with the 

 utmost care, but I could find nowhere any mark 

 left by that flying ball of flame. The thing was 

 evidently a sort of ' St. Elmo's Fire ' ; but you 

 may imagine my horror when I found my crew 

 all unconscious. Heavens ! I thought for a 

 moment that I was the only live man left aboard 

 that ship ! " 



