22 Cruise of the "Alert" 



contained a great number of little phosphorescent spheres, which, 

 under a high magnifying power, proved to be similar to the bodies 

 described by Sir Wyville Thompson, under the term Pyrocystis 

 noctiluca. On the same day we entered the Albatross region, one 

 large .white bird (Diomedea exulans) and several sooties {Diomedea 

 fuliginosd) soaring around our ship. Some land birds were also 

 seen, one of which, a species of finch (?) was captured and 

 preserved. 



On the 24th of November we approached within eighty miles of 

 the Brazilian coast, and on getting soundings in forty-eight fathoms, 

 immediately put the dredge overboard. The hempen tangles con- 

 tained starfishes of three or four species, and the bag brought up 

 a mass of bluish tenacious mud, which, on sifting, was found to 

 contain some Crustaceans and tube-building Annelids, and many 

 small shells, living and dead, of the genera Dentalium, Hyalea^ 

 Area, and others. About the same time a turtle was observed 

 floating on the water. 



On the forenoon of the 26th, land — the coast of Uruguay — was 

 in view on our starboard beam, a long low line of beach, whose 

 uniform outline was broken by a conspicuous tall lighthouse, which 

 stamped the locality as Cape Santa Maria. A few hours later 

 we obtained a view of Lobos Islands, a bare-looking uninviting 

 mass of rock, situated just off Maldonado Point ; and as we now 

 fairly entered the estuary of the Plate, a number of large gulls 

 (apparently of the genus Dominicanus) joined us, eagerly picking 

 up any offal cast overboard. 



We arrived at Monte Video on the 27th of November, and 

 stayed until the 14th of December, during this time making 

 several trips into the countiy. 



On one occasion I went by train to a place called Colon, 

 about ten miles to the N.W. of Monte Video. Starting from the 

 central station of the Northern Railway, I took my seat in a clean 

 well-fitted carriage, with two other passengers, one of whom, my 

 vis-d-vis, might have realized one's ideas of a Guy Fawkes. In the 



