THE LAST CEUISE OF THE MIRANDA. 17 



of both parties concerned ; for the whales spouted and 

 dipped in answer to the salutes accorded them, and seemed 

 not a whit the worse for the broadsides poured into them. In 

 the afternoon a large swordfish almost ran into us, and also 

 went on his way rejoicing, after receiving a baptism of fire. 



The next day, Sunday, broke clear, calm, and beautiful, 

 with hardly a ripple on the surface of the sea. The day 

 passed without an important event, except that a small and 

 select band of stokers and firemen seized the occasion to break 

 into the wine-room, where they remained to scoff while others 

 prayed, with the result that a free fight was indulged in, 

 shortly after which one of the firemen disappeared. All sorts 

 of rumors spread regarding the missing man, and it was gen- 

 erally believed that he had jumped overboard as a result of 

 a drunken frenzy. He was several days afterwards dis- 

 covered hiding in the hold, and deserted the ship promptly 

 on our arrival at Sydney. 



The next morning we were off the coast of Nova Scotia, 

 and it was cold, foggy, and dismal. Our whistle was kept 

 constantly blowing, and many soundings were taken. The 

 gloom of the fog seemed to hang even over the breakfast- 

 table until it was lifted by the genial Professor Brewer, of 

 Yale. The Professor was the autocrat of the breakfast-table, 

 and many a word of wit and wisdom fell with unconscious ease 

 from his lips ; one of those rare men upon whom learning 

 sits easily and gracefully, without weighing down in the 

 least upon a delicate and keen sense of humor. To him we 

 were indebted for much useful information upon all man- 

 ner of subjects, as well as many a hearty laugh. On this 

 occasion the laughter was raised unconsciously; but the story is 

 too good to be left untold. The Professor sat at the head of the 

 table holding an egg up to the light and eyeing it curiously. 

 " See," he said to a professor next to him, " the wonderful 

 provision of Nature in mending eggs," and he dilated at some 



