180 ALONG THE FLORIDA REEF. 



rolled gentle waves upon the sands with a musi- 

 cal intonation. 



The party were stretched on the beach, which 

 was still warm with the sun's rays, when the 

 curious appearance of the water attracted their 

 attention. Wherever a wave broke or threw off 

 its pearls of spray the water, as if by magic, 

 assumed a ghostly, cream-like tint; and, as the 

 night grew darker, the entire sea glowed with a 

 moving, golden light. Waves of fire broke upon 

 the beach, drops of liquid flame hung upon the 

 bits of coral or dropped from them like streams 

 of molten lava. 



" There is an uncommon sight," said the doc- 

 tor, rising and walking toward the water. Soon 

 the whole party was wading in what seemed to 

 be a gleaming sea of fire that fairly blazed at 

 every step ; and, as they walked along, splash- 

 ing the water right and left, the effect was inde- 

 scribable. The doctor now proposed that they 

 row out to study this phenomenon. The row- 

 boat was shoved off, and, jumping aboard, they 

 pulled out through a blaze of fire that with 

 every dip of the oars seemed, as Dick said, " to 



