16 ISLES OF SUMMEE. 



surface just enough with snow-Avliite crests to please the eye, hut 

 not enough to awaken feehngs of danger even m timid minds. 

 The clouds gradually thickened overhead, a few snowflakes with 

 seeming reluctance noiselessly descended, and Avere instantly lost 

 in the mysterious dcptlis of the ocean — for a snowflake and ^ 

 steamship are alike insignificant so far as old ocean is concerned. 

 Soon we exjoerienced the pleasure of seeing, what is not very often 

 witnessed, a heavy snow storm off the capes of Virginia, and it 

 seemed so queer to see the snow fall hour after hour and leave 

 not a trace behind. No rocks, no shrubs, no evergreen trees 

 were glorified by it, but ocean, with cold indifference, received 

 this gift from heaven unmoved and unaffected. Earth may well 

 welcome the snow storm which protects and saves its priceless 

 floral treasures, but what is the use of wasting snow storms upon 

 the ocean? 



At half-past six o'clock on the evening of January iOth, the 

 snow storm being over, we saw at a distance of some fifteen miles, 

 the revolving light of Hatteras. Can it be, we inwardly ex- 

 claimed, that this is the place that navigators of the sea would 

 be so glad to avoid ; the home of the strongest and most fitful 

 winds, and of wildest storms; a place loved only by wreckers? 

 Our steamship still spread her sails to the Avind, and her rocking 

 was so gentle that not a passenger's seat Avas empty at the supj^er 

 table. It Avas not long before spittoons commenced a game of 

 ten-pins upon the floor of the main saloon, the Avind howled and 

 hissed at us as it passed; the propeller uttered its cry of alarm, 

 as, in the rolling and pitching of the vessel, it protruded out of 

 the Avater; strong men staggered and reeled, Avhile during the 

 short momentary intervals of comparative repose, they moved 

 from one holding-on place to another; the ladies sought refuge in 

 their state-rooms, and, dcA'outly thankful that he had not broken 

 any of his or his felloAV-passengcrs' bones, the author soon fol- 



