lo Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa. 



is possible and pleasant, no noise disturbs the cur- 

 rent of your morning reflections. Cloudless is the 

 sky, strong the following " N.E. trade," covering 

 the surface of the sea with white horses, but not 

 strong enough to overtake and refresh the fast- 

 flying ship, whose j^assengers are warned by the 

 already glowing sun that the day is going to be a 

 " pipci'.' Looking over the stern you see the same 

 troop of swifts or swallows which for three days 

 now have followed us. Swoo]Ding, hovering, 

 skimming, darting, never left behind, seemingly 

 never progressing, never resting ; where they come 

 from, where they are going to, where they sleep, 

 and what they feed on offers a proljlem which 

 natural history has not yet attempted to solve. 

 From time to time shoals of flying fish shoot from the 

 waves, nor can one imagine a more pleasant sight 

 than these animated particles of silver present, 

 jumping from and skimming along the surface of 

 the water by scores and hundreds, gleaming and 

 glistening in the sunlight. Last evening, one, 

 probably a " loose fish," when all his fellows had 

 gone to bed, jumped with a mighty leap right on 

 to our deck. Promptly secured by a quarter- 

 master, it attracted the observation of a French 

 gentleman, who desired to photograph it, have it 

 stuffed, and carry it home to his family museum. 

 But my friend and I disappointed him, taking it 

 and o-ivino; it to the cook, and eatins" for breakfast 

 the finny fowl. ]\Iorning wears away, groups of 

 gentlemen have appeared and disappeared, clothed 

 in that loose and liglit attire, ^viih sponge, towel, 



