THE SEA-SERPENT. 
7 
seemed to be sailing the seas of air, in a patent 
balloon from a comet flung. Four figures, enjoy¬ 
ing their mild cigars, on the quarter-deck in 
silence sat, too much engaged in watching the 
stars to care for a bit of pleasant chat. The 
smoke that the idle smokers blew lazily round 
them slowly rolled, or, lingering, tinged with ceru¬ 
lean hue the swinging mainsail’s drooping fold. 
Near them, a little abaft the hatch, a group of 
ladies motionless lean o’er her painted sides, the 
stars to watch, perfectly charmed by the stilly 
scene. 
White was her deck, snow-white her sails, that 
idly swung with the heaving swell, fitted to catch 
the summer gales or “the wind of the winter 
night ” repel; beauteous the curve of her arrowy 
prow, which oft has danced through the seething 
foam, where the figure of Hope like a look¬ 
out now seemed watching the light that told of 
home. 
