NATURAL PHENOMENA. 
5 
with the meny gibe, while the scraping of the fiddle 
and the “basting of the bear” were sources of amuse- 
ment to others. The officers played at leap-frog or 
duck-stone on the cparter-deck, or wiled away the 
time ill reading, chess, or cards. The amateur 
musician brought forth melancholy notes from his 
beloved flute, and the contemplative man lay supine 
upon the deck and gazed upon the stars. The 
heavens, indeed, were now specially worthy of 
regard, for we had crossed the line, and another 
hemisphere, with other constellations, was now 
disclosing itself to our view. 
The Southern Cross and Magellanic clouds had 
taken the jilace of the North star. Our old stellar 
friends were lost to view, and the sight of many 
constellations and new stars was a constant source 
of interest. Nor must I fail to mention that at this 
point of our voyage the usual absurd and noisy 
ceremonies in honour of Neptune were not for- 
gotten. 
The ocean, in these low latitudes, presents 
several phenomena which are particularly interest- 
