34-3 SsLfeS 0]> ferMMEii. 



to the surface, leaving the deeper and cooler waters as the sun 

 approached his setting, and like a dog before a %ing horse, they 

 raced with our ship. Directly ahead of and close to its sharp 

 iron prow, with unmistakable evidences of pride and joy, they 

 led the way, and seemed to challenge us to overtake them if we 

 could. It was exceedingly interesting and somewhat exciting 

 to observe them at such times. They frequently leaped bodily 

 out of the water, and seemed to indulge in a competitive race 

 with each other while testing their locomotive powers with those 

 of the strange, man-made monster that had invaded their watery 

 realm. The sport was continued for many a mile, but like the 

 great golden god of day, they retired to depths we could not see, 

 and to realms Ave had no capacity fully to explore. 



We were told by an eye witness in Florida, of sanguinary fights 

 between the porpoises and the sharks. Our lady informant on 

 one occasion saw three or four of the former mercilessly attack 

 one of the latter at the mouth of the St. John's, and the contest 

 was continued until the surrounding water was colored with their 

 blood. 



In the Florida Gulf we soon parted company with the sea-birds. 

 Not a single gull looked to us for supplies. The river St. John's 

 probably teems with a larger quantity of food suited to their 

 taste and adapted to their wants. 



We missed them much. The ocean was more lonely. It had 

 been exceedingly pleasant to watch them while they followed our 

 ship, and as some of the more venturesome hovered over us, the 

 undulations of their white wide-spread wings seemed like silent 

 benedictions. The persistent waving of the unspotted feathery 

 arms we gladly welcomed as favorable omens. W^e were not dis- 

 posed to disregard the favorable augury of the beautiful birds 

 who so persistently followed us over such wide spaces of ocean 

 solitudes. Certain it is that clear skies, smooth seas and fair 



