FISHING BY NIGHT. 5 



splendid eyes, large and sparkling, having the fire and 

 dark hue of the Indian ; their complexions are of the 

 richest deep brown, some approaching copper colour ; 

 and the skin so clear, that the blood can be seen 

 mantling in their cheeks. Old age seems to transmute 

 all their charms into ugliness, for the few aged persons 

 I saw were mostly hideous. At night we were 

 delighted in viewing the natives fishing by torch- 

 light: in the frail canoes I have before noticed brands 

 composed of the fibrous husk of the cocoa-nut emitted 

 a lurid glare, and being in great numbers and constant 

 motion imparted a Salvator-Rosa-like effect to the 

 scene ; the softened gleam upon the shore was very 

 beautiful, throwing up the more prominent objects, 

 whose broad shadows, rendered deeper and more 

 perfect by the blaze, mingled with and were lost in the 

 gloom of the background. 



, It was intended that in accordance with our instruc- 

 tions we should have met H. M. S. "Herald," which 

 was to co-operate with us, at Panama, but the plan of 

 our route having been changed we had not visited that 

 port, and hoped to have found her here; in this 

 expectation we were, however, disappointed ; and after 

 obtaining a plentiful supply of tropical fruits and 

 vegetables, proceeded alone on the 25th, trusting 

 to fall in wdtli her in Kotzebue Sound. 



