184 THE OCEAN. 



splendidly. As he fell headlong on the water at 

 the end of each hnge leap, a series of circles were 

 sent far over the still surface, which lay as smooth as 

 a mirror. 



" The group of wi'etched Flying-fish, thus hotly 

 pursued, at length dropped into the sea ; but we 

 were rejoiced to observe that they merely touched 

 the top of the swell, and scarcely sunk in it ; at 

 least, they instantly set off again in a fresh and 

 even more vigorous flight. It was particularly 

 interesting to observe that the direction they now 

 took was quite different from the one in which 

 they had set out, implying but too obviously that 

 they had detected their fierce enemy, who was follow- 

 ing them with giant steps along the waves, and 

 now gaining rapidly upon them. His terrific pace, 

 indeed, was two or three times as swift as theirs, 

 poor little things ! 



•'The greedy Dolphin, however, was fully as 

 quick-sighted as the Flying-fish which were trying 

 to elude him ; for, whenever they varied their flight 

 in the smallest degree, he lost not the tentli part of 

 a second in shaping a new course, so as to cut off 

 the chase ; while they, in a nuinner really not un- 

 like that of the hare, doubled more than once upon 

 their pursuer. But it was too plainly to be seen 

 that the strength and confidence of the Flying-fish 

 were fast ebbing. Their flights became shorter and 

 shorter, and their course more fluttering and uncertain, 

 while the enormous leaps of the Dolphin appeared 

 to grow only more vigorous at each bound. Even- 

 tually, indeed, we could see, or fancied that we could 



