who
had overheard the officer's story, "was not only cruel, but terribly
unnatural." The officer's respectful answer was very significant. "Nay,
madam," said he, "it was only too natural!"

While dreamily watching the throbbing surface of this mystery of waters
through which our good ship steadily ploughed her way, the thought
occurred to us of how many uses the various seas and oceans were to man
besides forming the great pathway of commerce reaching to the uttermost
parts of the globe. The animals it produces are among the mightiest and
the smallest, from monstrous whales and walruses down to the tiny
animalcules. What an inexhaustible supply of food it yields for the
support of man! Its contributions to various industries are almost
limitless, while the treasuries of art are enriched by the abundance of
tortoise-shell, mother-of-pearl, and the lovely pearl gem itself, with
delicate shells, coral, amber, and other choice articles of decoration.
A very interesting chapter might be written upon the prolific yield of
the sea in the various departments of food, industry, and art. While we
were musing thus, a school of dolphins, as they are often called,
appeared on the surface near the ship's side. The proper name of this
fish is the porpoise. The dolphin belongs to the whale family, breathing
atmospheric air; while the porpoise has no blow-holes, but receives the
water into its mouth to be thrown out at the gills. Porpoises seem to be
the most sportive fish that swim in the sea, and while they remained in
their playful mood near our ship, it was amusing to watch their
gambols.

At night the phosphorescence of these lonely waters lying just north of
the Antarctic Circle, between southern Tasmania and New Zealand, was
indeed marvellous. Liquid fire is the only term which will properly
express its flame-like appearance. A bucketful was drawn and deposited
upon deck; while it remained still it appeared dark and like any other
water, but when agitated it emitted scintillations of light like the
stars. A drop of this water placed under the microscope was found to be
teeming with living and active organisms. A muslin bag was suspended for
a few moments over the ship's side and then drawn up, and after being
permitted to drip for a few seconds the contents left in the bag were
placed in a glass tumbler, when the quantity of living forms was found
to be so great and abundant as to be visible to the naked eye. No two of
these mi