JUNE. 209 



for though we had a compass on board, we had no light, and 

 feared to row, not knowing our direction. Suddenly, we 

 saw a bright red light, like the flame of a candle, near the 

 surface of the water, in the fog, and thinking it to be the 

 light of some fishing skiff, we rowed towards it ; but present- 

 ly, we perceived it to be in motion ; now receding from us, 

 now approaching us with great swiftness ; sometimes shooting 

 round our boat, then whizzing away like a shot, until almost 

 lost in the fog, then rapidly skimming along towards us again, 

 so that we were lost in astonishment at its vagaries. We 

 came near enough to see that there was no boat, nor any 

 other visible substance but the flame itself, whatever its na- 

 ture was. We at length dropped our anchor, and lay there 

 till morning. I presume it was of a gaseous or phosphoric 

 natiire, though I cannot account for its motions.* 



C. — It was a curious circumstance, and would have been 

 alarming, if you had been superstitious. I have heard of 

 balls of fire resting on mast-heads, yard-arms, and different 

 parts of the rigging of vessels at sea in a gale of wind. Was 

 the light you saw anything of that kind ? 



F. — I do not apprehend that it was : it appeared of alto- 

 gether a different character of light : they are blue, pale, and 

 indistinct ; this was bright and red. I believe electricity is 

 generally considered to be the cause of those appearances, 

 and they only occur in contact with some substance : usually 

 some projection. The ignis fatuus of the marsh has probably 

 more affinity to it. I have often mentioned the circumstance 

 to mariners, and others familiar with the sea, but have ne- 

 ver met with any who was acquainted with the phenomenon. 



/ * I have lately seen in the Magazine of Natural History (Vol. I. new 

 series, 1837, page 548, et seq.) several papers attributing the light called 

 ignis fatuus to winged insects. It has struck me that the appearance above 

 noticed may have had a similar origin ; in which case its motions would 

 be no longer unaccountable. — P. H. G. 



