nute creatures seemed to be of similar form; the variety was
infinite, and their activity incessant. Most of these animalcules are so
small that if it were not for the microscope we should never even know
of their existence.

One day at table a lady passenger complained of the dust of the sea,
which she said got into her eyes and caused them to smart severely, and
also soiled her clothing. Others laughed at her, and declared that there
could be no dust at sea; but they were mistaken. There is a salt dust
which rises from the spray and impregnates everything, even filling
one's mouth with a saline taste. While the sun shines, this deposit,
like the dew on land, is less active and perceptible; but to walk the
deck at night is to become covered with a thin coating of salt dust, so
fine indeed as to be hardly noticeable, but which in time becomes
sufficiently crystallized to be obvious to the eye. The dust of the sea
is no fable. The officer who stands his night-watch on the bridge will
testify to this fact; and his cabin steward will tell you that he has
often to resort to something more potent than a whisk-broom to cleanse
clothing which has been exposed to sea-dust.

Winter upon the sea and winter upon the land in this extreme southern
region are two very different things. On shore (save on the
mountain-tops) there is scarcely any snow, the climate being mild and
equable; but upon the ocean the fickle element does not forget boldly to
assert itself. Three uneventful days carried us nearly a thousand miles
upon our way toward New Zealand; but as night came on at the close of
the third day, the barometer--which had been falling ominously for some
time, after reaching a most significant figure--suddenly jumped several
points, foretelling the heavy weather into which we were now rapidly
driven. Everything had been made as snug on board the "Mararoa" as was
possible, which was only the part of prudence, for the ship began to
waltz in the wildest fashion to the hoarse music of the on-coming storm.
It was a dismal and trying night, the raging sea breaking over and about
the ship, drenching everything fore and aft, and causing the stout iron
hull to tremble all over like a delicate fern in the wind. It was so
cold that it seemed strange that the water did not freeze where it
struck the deck and the rigging. There were no means provided for
heating the cabins or the saloon, and the result was that a shivering
discomfort was real