A VOYAGE TO INDIA. 145 



guished from the drops of brine adhering to the net. 

 Their own radiance, by which they are visible in their 

 native element, is soon lost when brought into the air, 

 for it ceases instantly on the death of the animal. The 

 few specimens which I have examined were either gela- 

 tinous molluscse or microscopic shrimps ; the former 

 being luminous throughout their entire substance, and 

 the latter, like the glow-worm, emitting an intermittent 

 light from a lantern near the tail. 



Such were the appearances noticed in most parts of 

 the North Atlantic Ocean, excepting the Gulf stream. 

 The fretful waves of this region, vexed as it is by per- 

 petual squalls, appear to be wrapped in total darkness. 

 But in the tropical regions, and throughout the vast ex- 

 panse of the Southern and Indian Oceans, the grandeur 

 and sublimity of the night scene were often beyond 

 description. The vivid hues of " the double headed 

 shot clouds," which rise like immense mountains from 

 the water of the western horizon, seemed to fade into 

 twilight only to give place to a still more beautiful illu- 

 mination in the bosom of the waves. The bow of the 

 vessel scattered far around a blaze of light, which shone 

 brilliantly under the brightest moon, and was often suffi- 

 ciently intense to enable us to read upon the deck. 

 Leaning over the stern, our track resembled a vast 

 trough of fire, studded with innumerable floating lanterns 

 and stars, such as fall from an exploding sky-rocket. In 

 the eddies, the whirling of these bodies produced long 

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