190 THE OCEAN, 
a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a 
cloud.”* 
Yet, though day after day rolls on and leaves us 
still in the same position, there are not wanting 
many things to beguile the weariness of the time. 
The gorgeous beauty of the sun’s setting almost 
makes amends for his unmitigated heat by day. As 
his orb approaches the western horizon, the clouds, 
which have been absent during the day, begin to 
form in that quarter of the heavens; and, as he sinks, 
assume hues of the richest purple edged with gold, 
now hiding his disc, now allowing him to flash out 
his softened effulgence through crimson openings, 
till he falls beneath the massy mountain-like bed of 
cloud that seems to lie heavily upon the surface of 
the sea. Then the whole array begins to take the 
appearance of a lovely landscape; the clouds forming 
the land, while the open sky represents calm water. 
Sometimes we seem to see the long capes and bold 
promontories of a broken and picturesque coast, 
deeply indented with bays and creeks, and fringed 
with groups of islands; at others, silvery lakes, 
studded with little wooded islets, appear embosomed 
in mountains or surrounded by gentle slopes, here 
and there clothed with umbrageous woods. Such 
an appearance of reality is given to these fleeting 
scenes, that it is difficult, after gazing at them for 
a few minutes, to believe they are mere shadows. 
The mind forgets the world of waters around, and, 
in the enthusiasm of the hour, goes out in busy 
imagination to that beautiful land, and roves among 
* Isa, xxxii. 2; xxv. 4, 5; iv. 6. 
