A "Thousand- Mile Walk 



sick, that I had long waited in the woods for 

 just such a storm, and that, now that the pre- 

 cious thing had come, I would remain on deck 

 and enjoy it. "Well," said he, " if you can stand 

 this, you are the first landsman I ever saw that 

 could." 



I remained on deck, holding on by a rope 

 to keep from being washed overboard, and 

 watched the behavior of the Belle as she dared 

 nobly on ; but my attention was mostly directed 

 among the glorious fields of foam-topped waves. 

 The wind had a mysterious voice and carried 

 nothing now of the songs of birds or of the rus- 

 tling of palms and fragrant vines. Its burden 

 was gathered from a stormy expanse of crested 

 waves and briny tangles. I could see no striving 

 in those magnificent wave-motions, no raging; 

 all the storm was apparently inspired with na- 

 ture's beauty and harmony. Every wave was 

 obedient and harmonious as the smoothest 

 ripple of a forest lake, and after dark all the 

 water was phosphorescent like silver fire, a 

 glorious sight. 



[ 146 1 



