414 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



western horizon were becoming momentarily more 

 threatening, and various signs of an approaching 

 storm made the captain of the galley especially anx- 

 ious to get, before nightfall, into the nearest harbour, 

 which was that of Pesca, at the southern extremity 

 of the island of Yeglia. All sail was made upon the 

 galley, and they were running rapidly down the chan- 

 nel, when a red light suddenly flashed over the waves 

 in the quarter of the horizon they were approaching 

 and was reflected back upon the sky, now darkened 

 with clouds and by the approach of night. Attracted 

 by this unusual appearance, Antonio hurried to the 

 high quarter-deck of the galley ; and scarcely had he 

 ascended it, when the fiery glow fell in a flood of 

 rosy light upon the distant chalk cliffs. Entranced 

 by the picturesque beauty of the scene, the young 

 painter forgot to inquire the cause of this singular 

 illumination, when suddenly his attention was caught 

 by a shout from the man at the helm. 



" By Heavens, 'tis a fire ! " ejaculated the sailor, 

 who had been watching the unusual appearance. 

 " All Pesca must be in flames." 



He had scarcely uttered the words when the galley 

 rounded a projecting point of land, and the correct- 

 ness of the seaman's conjecture was apparent. A 

 thick cloud of smoke hung like a pall over the un- 

 fortunate town of Pesca. Tongues of flame darted 

 upwards from the dense black vapour, lighting up sea 

 and land to an immense distance. 



