PROFESSOR SMITH'S JOURNAL. 259 



appearance which diifuses itself over the whole surface of 

 the sea, arises from a dissolved slimy matter, which spreads 

 its light like that proceeding from phosphorus. The most 

 minute glittering particles, when highly magnified, had the 

 appearance of small and solid spherical bodies. 



May 28. We saw for the first time this day one of those 

 floating islands, often mentioned, and which probably 

 come out of one of the rivers of Africa. The Captain per- 

 mitted us to put out a boat, in order to examine it. It 

 was about 120 feet in length, and consisted of reeds, re- 

 sembling the Donax, and a species of Agroatis / among 

 which were still growing some branches of Justicia ; and in 

 the midst of these were seen a number of animals (Sepice) ? 

 For many days past the sea-water has been uncommonly 

 cold. We were probably in soundings, though we could 

 not reach the bottom Avith a line of 120 fathoms. I am 

 often up at night fishing ibr marine animals, of some of 

 which I make sketches- 



June 2d. We this day got sight of the continent of 

 Africa for the first time. The land was very low, but 

 we did not approach it sufficiently near to be able to 

 describe its appearance. The 3d and 4th we continued 

 under the land with a southerly Avind. The Captain re- 

 solved to stand out again to the westward, which course 

 we followed, cruising till the 14th, but found that the wind 

 was veering more and more against us, and becoming 

 the steady tropical Avesterly (? easterly) wind. We stood 

 in a second time for the coast, and got in sight of it on 

 the 18th. In the mornins; we descried a large vessel. All 



