AT SEA. 297 



Savagery and desolation make up the prevailing ex- 

 pression here. The sea-fowls have weird and discon- 

 solate cries, and appear doomed to perpetual solitude. 

 But these dolphins know what companionship is, and 

 are in their own demesne. When one sees them 

 bursting out of the waves, the impression is that 

 school is just out ; there come the boys, skipping and 

 laughing, and, seeing us just passing, cry to one an- 

 other : " Now for a race ! Hurrah, boys ! We can 

 beat 'em ! " 



One notices any change in the course of the ship 

 by the stars at night. For nearly a week Venus sank 

 nightly into the sea far to the north of us. Our 

 course coming home is south-southwest. Then, one 

 night, as you promenade the deck, you see, with a 

 keen pleasure, Venus through the rigging dead ahead. 

 The good ship has turned the corner, she has scented 

 New York harbor, and is making straight for it, with 

 New England far away there on her right. Now 

 sails and smoke-funnels begin to appear. All ocean 

 paths converge here : full-rigged ships, piled with can- 

 vas, are passed, rocking idly upon the polished sur- 

 face ; sails are seen just dropping below the horizon, 

 phantom ships without hulls, while here and there the 

 black smoke of some steamer tarnishes the sky. Now 

 we pass steamers that left New York but yesterday ; 

 the City of Rome looking, with her three smoke- 

 stacks and her long hull, like two steamers together 

 creeps along the southern horizon, just ready to 

 vanish behind it. Now she stands in the reflected 



