A "Thousand- Mile JValk 



enjoying our fine store of salt mackerel and 

 plum duff, with endless abundance of oranges. 

 Not only was the hold of our little ship filled 

 with loose, unboxed oranges, but the deck also 

 was filled up level with the rails, and we had 

 to walk over the top of the golden fruit on 

 boards. 



Flocks of flying fishes often flew across the 

 ship, one or two occasionally falling among 

 the oranges. These the sailors were glad to 

 capture to sell in New York as curiosities, or 

 to give away to friends. But the captain had a 

 large Newfoundland dog who got the largest 

 share of these unfortunate fishes. He used to 

 jump from a dozing sleep as soon as he heard 

 the fluttering of their wings, then pounce and 

 feast leisurely on them before the sailors could 

 reach the spot where they fell. 



In passing through the Straits of Florida the 

 winds died away and the sea was smoothed to 

 unruffled calm. The water here is very trans- 

 parent and of delightfully pure pale-blue color, 

 as different from ordinary dull-colored water 

 [ i8o] 



