ENTERING THE TROPICS. 



were now seen, and two or three small whales of the 

 species called by seamen " black-fish " were sighted 

 during- this part of the voyage. 



On the afternoon of the 26th we entered the tropics, 

 and this and the following day were thoroughly 

 enjoyable, but did not offer much of novelty. The 

 colour of the sea was here of a much deeper and 

 purer blue (rivalling that of the Mediterranean) than 

 we had hitherto found it, while that of the sky was 

 much paler. The light cumuli with ill-defined edges 

 were such as we are used to in British summer 

 weather ; and, excepting that the interval of twilight 

 was sensibly shorter, the sunsets were devoid of 

 special interest At this season the Southern Cross 

 was above the horizon about nightfall, and was made 

 out by the practised eyes of some of the officers ; but, 

 in truth, it remains a somewhat insignificant object 

 when seen from the northern side of the equator, and 

 to enjoy the full splendour of that stellar hemisphere 

 one must reach high southern latitudes. 



Although the thermometer never quite reached 

 80° Fahr. in the shade until we touched land, the 

 weather on the 28th and 29th was hot and close, and 

 few passengers kept up the wholesome practice of a 

 constitutional walk on the long deck of the Don. Of 

 the rain which constantly seemed impending very 

 little fell. 



At daybreak on the morning of the 30th, in twelve 

 days and seventeen hours, we completed the run of 

 about 3340 nautical miles which separates South- 

 ampton from Barbadoes, and found ourselves in the 

 roads of Bridgetown, about a mile from the shore. 



