LAND AND SEA BREEZES. 113 



pearing to the eye the size of the fist, and fading away as sud- 

 denly as it appeared, falling into fiery nodules, then we perceive 

 that, in the apparent calm of nature, various forces are constantly 

 active, in order to cause, even in the invisible air, such combina- 

 tions and combustions, the appearance of which amazes the crews 

 of ships. 



259. " When the slender keel glides quickly over the mirrored 

 waters upon the wings of the wind, it cuts for itself a sparkling 

 way, and disturbs in their sleep the monsters of the deep, which 

 whirl and dart quicker than an eight-knot ship ; sweeping and turn- 

 ing around their disturber, they suddenly clothe the dark surface 

 of the water in brilliancy. Again, when we go beyond the limits 

 of the land-breeze, and come into the continuous trade-wind, we 

 occasionally see from the low-moving, round black clouds (unless 

 it thunders), light blue sparks collected upon the extreme points 

 of the iron belaying-pins, etc. ;* then the crew appear to fear a new 

 danger, against which courage is unavailing, and which the mind 

 can find no power to endure. The fervent, fiery nature inspires 

 the traveler with deep awe. They who, under the beating of the 

 storm and terrible violence of the ocean, look danger courageously 

 in the face, feel, in the presence of these phenomena, insignificant, 

 feeble, anxious. Then they perceive the mighty power of the 

 Creator over the works of his creation. 



260. "And how can the uncertain, the undetermined sensations 

 arise which are produced by the clear yet sad light of the moon ? 

 she who has always great tears in her eyes, while the stars look 

 sweetly at her, as if they loved to trust her and to share her af- 

 fliction.! 



261. "In the latter part of the night, the land-breeze sinks to 

 sleep, for it seldom continues to blow with strength, but is always 

 fickle and capricious. With the break of day it again awakes, to 



* I have seen this in a remarkable degree upon the south coast of Java ; these 

 sparks were then seen six feet above the deck, upon the frames of timber {houssen der 

 Mokken), in the implements, etc. — Jansen. 



t Some one has ventured the remark that at full moon, near the equator, more and 

 darker dew falls than at new moon, and to this are ascribed the moonheads {maan 

 hoofden), which I have seen, however, but once during all the years which I have spent 

 between the tropics. — Jansen. 



