XXIV INTRODUCTION. 



of the sea covered with patches of sea-weed^ around 

 which swarmed numerous eel-hke fish^ crabs, 

 shrimps, and little blue fish. These last swam 

 under those floating islands, sometimes leaving* them 

 for a little distance — but they always returned, or 

 swam to another. The crabs crawled in and out 

 amongst the sea-weed, and other fish of a large 

 size came to these spots to deposit their spawn ; so 

 that we were in an archipelago of floating islands, 

 teeming with busy inhabitants, and animal enjoy- 

 ment. Aug. 30th, a pine-tree passed us, covered 

 with barnacles and surrounded by fish which swam 

 about this floating island, eating such things as fell 

 from it. No portion of the globe is more thickly 

 inhabited, or afibrds, in proportion to its size, a 

 greater amount of animal enjoyment than did this 

 wave-tossed isle. On it were innumerable barnacles, 

 several species of teredo, one of which, having its 

 head shaped like a screw divided into two equal 

 portions, I believe to have been quite new. Many 

 varieties of crabs, and minute insects shaped like a 

 slug, fed on the sea-weed growing on the log." 



