98 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE 



On the following day we had the sun almost vertically 

 over our heads, the angle from our vessel to the Northern 

 horizon measuring 89 degrees. The day before the sun 

 stood on the Southern heavens at an angle measuring 8 7 Ms 

 degrees. The ship would only throw shadow when it 

 bent to one side or the other and my own shadow could 

 be measured by putting my feet slightly apart, thereby 

 having even the tips of my shoes and the calves out of 

 the shade. The air was slightly clouded, but not at all 

 oppressive. When evening arrived we enjoyed the prox- 

 imity of another vessel; it was moonlight and about nine 

 o 'clock when we noticed a large bark coming from nortn- 

 east, while our course was S. W. V2 S. Though within 

 a short distance neither a lantern nor any other signal 

 appeared, consequently we continued our course without 

 noticing the strange vessel any further, which followed 

 for a while in our wake. When morning came we had 

 lost sight of it entirely. 



Until the eleventh of July nothing noteworthy oc- 

 curred. On this day, at one o 'clock, a magnificent, pow- 

 erful osprey had taken a temporary rest on our wedge 

 yard, when Capt. Meyer took a shot at him. The beau- 

 tiful animal measured about six feet from tip to tip. 

 This deed of useless cruelty was immediately avenged, 

 for, scarcely did the dying bird lay in his last agony, 

 when the favorable wind suddenly changed to a deadly 

 calm, the first one we had really experienced during our 

 whole voyage. We therefore were glad when, about four 

 o'clock, a mild Southeastern breeze set in, followed by a 

 slight rain; the sea rose considerably as a last farewell 

 of the departed Northeast Monsoon. 



The evening of this day offered one of the rare spec- 

 tacles which is seen only in the tropics, and though I am 

 well convinced that not even the most enthusiastic de- 

 scription could give a clear conception of the gorgeous 

 magnificence to one who has never been an eye witness 

 of it, I will nevertheless try to describe the phenomenon 

 in the best manner of which I am capable. 



We had sunset about six o'clock and it seemed as if 



