JUNE. 
209 
for though we had a compass on boards we had no hght^ and 
feared to row^ not knowing our dh'ection. Suddenly, we 
saw a bright red Hght^ like the flame of a candle^, near the 
surface of the water^ in the fog^ and thinking it to be the 
light of some fishing skiff, we rowed towards it ; but present- 
ly, we perceived it to be in motion ; now receding from us^, 
now approaching us with great swiftness ; sometimes shooting 
round our boat;, then whizzing away like a shot;, until almost 
lost in the fog, then rapidly skimming along towards us again, 
so that we were lost in astonishment at its vagaries. We 
came near enough to see that there was no boat, nor any 
other visible substance but the flame itself, whatever its na- 
ture was. We at length dropped our anchor, and lay there 
till morning. I presume it was of a gaseous or phosphoric 
nature, though I cannot account for its motions.'^' 
C — It was a curious circumstance, and would have been 
alarming, if you had been superstitious. I have heard of 
balls of fire resting on mast-heads, yard-arms, and different 
parts of the rigging of vessels at sea in a gale of wind. Was 
the light you saw anything of that kind ? 
F, — I do not apprehend that it was : it appeared of alto- 
gether a different character of light : they are blue, pale, and 
indistinct ; this was bright and red. I believe electricity is 
generally considered to be the cause of those appearances, 
and they only occur in contact with some substance : usually 
some projection. The i^nis fatuus of the marsh has probably 
more affinity to it. I have often mentioned the circumstance 
to mariners, and others familiar with the sea, but have ne- 
ver met with any who was acquainted with the phenomenon. 
* I have lately seen in the Magazine of Natural History (Vol. I. new 
series, 1837, page 548, et seq.^ several papers attributing the light called 
ic/7iis fatuus to winged insects. It has struck me that the appearance above 
noticed may have had a similar origin ; in which case its motions would 
"be no longer unaccountable. — P. H. G. 
