811 



have given a halo of so great a dimension. The 

 rapidity of the movement is not a small ob- 

 stacle to the explanation of a phenomenon well 

 worthy of attention. 



December 3d. — We had some uneasiness on 

 account of the proximity of a small vessel 

 which was believed to be a pirate, but as it 

 drew near was recognized for the Balandra del 

 Frayle (the sloop of the Monk). I could 

 scarcely conceive what so strange a denomina- 

 tion meant. The bark belonged to a Francis- 

 can missionary (Frayle Observante) , a rich 

 priest of an Indian village in the savannahs 

 (Llanos) of Barcelona, who had for several 

 years carried on a very lucrative contraband 

 trade with the Danish islands. M. Bonpland, 

 and several passengers, saw in the night at the 

 distance of a quarter of a mile, with the wind, 

 a small flame on the surface of the Ocean ; it 

 ran towards the S.W. and lighted up the at- 

 mosphere. No shock of earthquake was felt, 

 and there was no change in the direction of the 

 waves. Was it a phosphoric gleam produced 

 by a great heap of mollusca in putrefaction ; or 

 did this flame issue from the depth of the sea, 

 as is said to have been sometimes observed in 

 latitudes agitated by volcanoes? The latter 

 supposition appears to me destitute of all pro- 

 bability. The volcanic flame can only issue 

 from the deep when the rocky bottom of the 



