136 TEE CRUISE OF TEE " CACEALOT:' 



the lustre of the stars was diminished till they only- 

 looked like points of polished steel, having quite lost for 

 the time their radiant sparkle. In that shining flood 

 the blackness of the ship stood out in startling contrast, 

 and when we looked over the side our faces were strangely 

 lit up by the brilhant glow. 



For several hours this beautiful appearance per- 

 sisted, fading away at last as gradually as it come. 

 No satisfactory explanation of this curious phenomenon 

 has ever been given, nor does it appear to portend any 

 change of weather. It cannot be called a rare occur- 

 rence, although I have only seen it thrice myself — 

 once in the Bay of Cavite, in the Philippine Islands ; onco 

 in the Pacific, near the Solomon Islands ; and on this 

 occasion of which I now write. But no one who had 

 ever witnessed it could forget so wonderful a sight. 



One morning, a week after we had taken our 

 departure from the Seychelles, the officer at the main 

 crow's-nest reported a vessel of some sort about five 

 miles to windward. Something strange in her appear- 

 ance made the skipper haul up to intercept her. As 

 we drew nearer, we made her out to be a Malay " prahu ; " 

 but, by the look of her, she was deserted. The big three- 

 cornered sail that had been set, hung in tattered festoons 

 from the long, slender yard, which, without any gear to 

 steady it, swung heavily to and fro as the vessel rolled 

 to the long swell. We drew closer and closer, but no 

 sign of life was visible on board, so the captain ordered 

 a boat to go and investigate. 



In two minutes we were speeding away towards her, 

 and, making a sweep round her stern, prepared to board 

 her. But we were met by a stench so awful that Mr. 

 Count would not proceed, and at once returned to the 



