;n4 'I'lll- I'HVSUWl, UlXXJKArUV OF TllK SEA. 



tnpovoil at the ouiU. l>y bringing ono ond within about one 

 tburtli ot' an inoh of t\ lighted hunp, tho thuno was attracted to- 

 ward it, and burned -with a red Hght ; the substance crisped in 

 burning sonu^thing like a hair, or appeared of a red lieat before 

 being consumed. In a glass of the water there wv^re several small, 

 round substances (say -^"^^th of an inch in diameter'), which had the 

 power of expanding to more than twice their ordinary size, and 

 then contraoling again: when expanded, the outer rim appeared 

 like a circular saw, only that the teeth pointed toward the centre. 



'» This patch oi' white water was about >;> miles in length, north 

 and south, divided near its centre by an irregular strip o( dark wa- 

 ter half a mile wide; its east and west extent 1 can say notlmig 

 about. 



*' I have seen what is called white water in about all the known 

 oceans and seas in the world, but nothing that would comparo 

 with this in extent or whiteness. Although we were going at tho 

 rate of nine knots, the ship made no noise either at the bow or 

 stern. The whole appearance of the ocean was like a plain cov- 

 ered with snow. There was scarce a cloud in the heavens, yet the 

 sky, for about ten degrees above the horizon, appeared as black 

 as if a storm was rajriuir ; the stars of the iirst mairnitude shone 



CO c 



with a feeble light, and the ' .^lilky AVay' of the heavens was almost 

 entirelv eclipsed bv that throuu'li which we were sailiuir. The 

 ^cene was one of awful grandeur : the sea having turned io phos- 

 phorus, and the heavens being hung in blackness, and the stars 

 going out, seemeil to indicate that all Nature was preparing for 

 that last grand eontlagration which we are taught to believe is to 

 annihilate this material world. 



"' After passing through the patch, we noticed that the sky, for 

 four or iive dci^rrees above the horizon, was considerablv illumin- 

 ated, something like a faint aiu'ora borealis. ^^'c soon passed out 

 of sight of the whole concern, and had a line night, without any 

 eontlagration (except of midnight oil in trying to lind out what 

 was in the water). I send you this, because I believe you request 

 your corps of * one thousand assistants' to furnish you with all such 

 items, and T trust it will be acceptable. But as to its furnishing 

 vou with much, if auv, information relative to the insects or aui- 



