UNCLE IN ENGLAND. i5 



water added greatly to the grandeur of the 

 scene. 



22d. Mrs. P - is very kind, and tries to 

 rouse my mind, and to make me see whatever is 

 worth observing. Just like you, Mamma, she 

 thinks active occupation is the best remedy for 

 grief, and she has suggested several employ- 

 ments in which she will be my companion. 

 Among other things, we are to learn together 

 the names and uses of the principal parts of the 

 vessel. 



. We were much delighted yesterday 

 evening with the luminous appearance of the sea, 

 and the captain has promised to show us some 

 of the insects from which the light proceeds. 

 Many of them are common in all seas, he says ; 

 but there are some which are seldom found out- 

 side the tropics. 



Just as I had written so far, Captain M. in- 

 vited us to go on deck to look at some birds that 

 were hovering about the vessel. One of them 

 was a phaeton, or tropic-bird, of which there are 

 many varieties ; that which I have seen to-day 

 had a red bill, and very long white wings, tipped 

 with black ; the legs and feet bright red : the 

 tail consists of only two straight feathers, al- 

 most two feet long, which they drop every year. 

 These are worn in the caps of the Sandwich 



B 2 



