400 THYSICAL GEOGKAFHY OF TIIL: SEA, AXU ITS MKTEOUOLOGY. 



sextant's magnifier, we could plainly see a jelly-like substance 

 without colour. At last a specimen was obtained of about two 

 inches in length, and plainly visible to the naked eye ; it was 

 about the size of a large hair, and tapered at the ends. By 

 bringing one end within about one-fourth of an inch of a lighted 

 lamp, the flame was attracted towards it, and burned with a red 

 light ; the substance crisped in burning something like a hair, 

 or appeared of a red heat before being consumed. In a glass of 

 the water there were several small round substances (say ^^.i:h. 

 of an inch in diameter), which had the power of expanding to 

 more than twice their ordinary size, and then contracting again ; 

 when expanded, the outer rim appeared like a circular saw, only 

 that the teeth pointed towards the centre. This patch of white 

 water was about 23 miles in length, north and south, divided 

 near its centre b}^ an irregular strip of dark water half a mile 

 wide ; its east and west extent I can say nothing about. I have 

 seen what is called white water in about all the known oceans 

 and seas in the world, but nothing that would compare with this 

 in extent or whiteness. Although we were going at the 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 covered 

 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 raging ; the stars of the first magnitude shone 

 with a feeble light, and the ' Milky Way ' of the heavens was 

 almost entirely eclipsed by that through which we were sailing. 

 The scene was one of awful grandeur ; the sea having turned to 

 phosphorus, and the heavens being hung in blackness, and the 

 stars going out, seemed to indicate that all nature was preparing 

 for that last grand conflagration 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 five degrees above the 

 horizon, was considerably illuminated, something like a faint 

 aurora borealis. We soon passed out of sight of the whole con- 

 cern and had a fine night, without any conflagration (except 

 of midnio"ht oil in tr^aug to find 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 I 

 trust it will be acceptable. But as to its furnishing you with 

 much, if any, information relative to tlie insects or animals that 

 inhabit the mighty deep, time will only tell ; I cannot think it will." 



