50 Meteorological Observations, 
the sky became lowering and intensely obscure, and per- 
haps such a scene will seldom fall to the lot of many to ob- 
serve. The oldest sailors on board had never seen any thing 
of the kind to compare with it, except the captain who had, 
he said, observed something of the kind in the Trades. 
The fish appeared terribly alarmed, long tortuous lines of 
darting light in a contrary direction to the sea, shewed ime 
mense numbers of very large fish flying about as if lost. 
The wind increased a little, but not much, and had a pee 
culiar hollow sound. Day broke very slowly, and the sun 
rose of a fiery and threatening aspect. Rain followed next. 
To sail on asea of fire is the only similitude I can fancy 
to this really grand and awful scene. 
The sprit sail yard and mizen boom were lighted by the re- 
flection as though they had gas lights burning immediately 
under them, and until just before day break at 4 o'clock, I 
could distinctly see, by ihe light of the sea, on any part of the 
deck, the most minute objects on my watch. 
This light first came from the N. W., and there had been 
a siight Aurora observed about eleven. 
I caused a bucket of this fiery water to be drawn up, it 
was one mass of light when stirred by the hand, and not in 
sparkles, as usual, but in actual corruscations. 
I kept some in an open jug and sealed up some in a bottle. 
The first night after there was no light on shaking the bottle, 
but plenty inthe jug. The second night the same; the water 
in the jug sparkled as muchas ever. The third night the same: 
the scintillations were this night visilLle somewhat strongly 
on the sea, as even on spitting into the water they appeared, 
and the usual trick of throwing a rope over and towing it 
along, caused a very beautiful line of light. On this evening 
the sun had set very singularly so as to exhibita double sun, 
and when a few degrees above the horizon, it showed as if 
the globe of that luminary had been suddenly changed intoa 
long cylinder which reached the horizon. 
I made a drawing 
of it. 
This night the sea was again very luminous and 
smooth, 
