PHOSPHORESCENCE OF THE SEA. 217 



judiciously loaded , we had fortunately stood the 

 dangerous experiment, is perfectly incomprehensible to 

 me. When the water- spout had passed over us the sea 

 still remained for some time in wild commotion, and, 

 so far as we could observe, was covered with foaming 

 crests. Then we beheld a natural phenomenon of a 

 splendour and grandeur such as the most daring fancy 

 could hardly paint. As far as the eye could reach 

 the whole sea glowed with a dark red light. It 

 looked as if it were composed of molten red-hot metal, 

 and the foam- crests in particular of the procession 

 of waves radiated so bright a light that all objects 

 could be distinctly seen, and even the smallest writing 

 could be read. It was a beautiful eerie sight, which 

 stands even to-day, although more than a quarter of 

 a century has passed, with perfect distinctness before 

 my mental vision! We were at a point of the sea, 

 which was densely peopled by phosphorescent animal- 

 culae. A tumbler , which I filled with sea - water, 

 shone brightly in the dark when the water was 

 violently shaken. The wild swirling motion produced 

 by the water -spout had excited the whole mass of 

 phosphorescent animalculae, visible even to the naked 

 eye, and to their universal simultaneous phosphorescence 

 we owe the marvellous sight of the glowing sea. 



In Oran, where a few hours later we landed 

 without our journey being further disturbed, we had 

 to consider what was next to be done. According to 

 an accurate estimate we had still cable enough to reach- 

 Cartagena, if it were paid out with the least slack 



