SffO WHALING AND FISHINO. 



person who for the first time witnesses it, The 

 entire stillness which reigns by night over this 

 vast aquatic town, the absence of all noise except 

 the continual faint roar of the swell, the sorrowful 

 creaking of the rigging, and the solitary " sug " 

 of the vessel's bow, as she falls into the trough of 

 the sea ; the bare poles of the distant vessels 

 thrown in vivid, almost unnatural relief against 

 the sky ; the crazy motion of the little barks, as 

 they are tossed about at the mercy of the waves, 

 having scarce steerage way; the lonely-looking 

 light on the mast, seeming to be the spirit which 

 has entire charge of the hull beneath ; the absence 

 of all life where but a short time ago all was life 

 and bustle : all this contrasted so strangely with 

 the lively appearance of the vessels by day, as 

 they skim rapidly over the waters, their great 

 piles of snow-white canvas gleaming gayly in the 

 sun, and their crews moving merrily about decks, 

 as to make me almost doubt that there were in 

 fact in the shapeless masses drifting past us, hither 

 and thither, at the mercy of wind and wave, men 

 istout and able, who had often battled for their 

 lives with the same old Ocean upon' whose bosom 

 they were now so placidly reposing. 



But here comes one, rolling toward us, 



" As silent as a painted ship, upon a painted ocean," 

 and seemingly just as likely to hit us as not. Wt 

 bail him. 



" Schooner ahoy ! " 



"Hillo!" is answered by a tall figure which 



