PORPOISES AND FLAMINGOES. 93 



Cape Arenas they enjoyed one of those varied sights 

 which the great phosphorescence of the sea so often dis- 

 plays in those climates. Bands of porpoises followed 

 their bark. Fifteen or sixteen of these animals swam at 

 equal distances from each other. When turning on their 

 backs, they struck the surface of the water with their 

 broad tails; they diffused a brilliant light, which seemed 

 like flames issuing from the depth of the ocean. Each 

 band of porpoises, ploughing the surface of the waters, 

 left behind it a track of light, the more striking as the 

 rest of the sea was not phosphorescent. 



The voyagers found themselves at midnight between 

 some barren and rocky islands, which uprose like bas- 

 tions in the middle of the sea, and formed the group of 

 the Caracas and Chimanas. The moon was above the 

 horizon, and lighted up these cleft rocks, which were 

 bare of vegetation and of fantastic aspect. 



As they came near this group of mountainous islands, 

 they were becalmed ; and at sunrise, small currents 

 drifted them towards Boracha, the largest of them. 

 The temperature of the atmosphere became sensibly 

 higher whilst they were sailing among the islands of this 

 little archipelago. The rocks, heated during the day, 

 threw out at night, by radiation, a part of the heat ab- 

 sorbed. As the sun rose on the horizon, the rugged 

 mountains projected their vast shadows on the surface 

 of the ocean. The flamingoes began to fish in the creeks. 

 Humboldt and Bonpland saw them as they passed, stand- 

 ing like a file of soldiers, along the narrow beaches, and 

 necks of land. 



They were so far advanced on their voyage on the 

 morning of the 20th, that they hoped to reach La Guayra 



