LUMINOSITY OF THE SEA. 35 



shoals of the latter arose with an audible rustling 

 noise before their pursuers, and the chase con- 

 tinued as far as we could see, a number of 

 victims no doubt being sacrificed to the voracity 

 of their hunters. Besides the finny enemies, they 

 had to encounter, as they rose from the water, 

 boobies, gannets, and tropic birds, which hovered 

 about, and in our view secured very many as 

 they sought refuge in the air. It was a novel 

 sight, and one not often witnessed during re- 

 peated voyages, and afforded much amusement 

 and interest to those who beheld it.* 



Occasionally our attention was excited during 

 the voyage, by the remarkable luminosity as- 

 sumed by the ocean in every direction, like 

 rolling masses of liquid fire, as the waves broke 

 and exhibited an appearance inconceivably 

 grand and beautiful. The phosphoric light, 

 given out by the ocean, exists to a more exten- 

 sive and brilliant degree in tropical regions, 



* It would be interesting, but at the same time difficult, 

 to ascertain where one particular species commences and 

 another terminates, and the extent of their range. In the 

 summer season they are found off the Cape of Good Hope, 

 Port Jackson, and even on the banks of Newfoundland; and 

 I have good authority for asserting that in the month of 

 August, in even more than one year, they have been seen 

 in Plymouth Sound. 



d2 



