rst
ship?"

"Well," replied Fritz, "I should say that the first ship was the ark."

"Whence we may infer," added Jack, "that Noah was the first admiral."

"We learn from the Scriptures," continued Fritz, "that the first
navigators were the children of Noah, and it appears from profane
history that the earliest attempts at navigation were manifested near
where the ark rested; consequently, we may fairly presume that the art
of ship-building arose from the traditions of the deluge and the ark."

"In that case, the art in question dates very far back."

"Yes, since it dates from 2348 years before the birth of Christ; but
the human race degenerated, the traditions were forgotten, and
navigation was confined to planks, rafts, bark canoes, or the trunk of
a tree hollowed out by fire."

"That is the sort of craft used by the inhabitants of Polynesia at the
present day," remarked Willis.

"It appears, however, by the Book of Job, that pirates existed in
those days, and that they went to sea in ships and captured
merchantmen, which proves, to a certain extent, that there were
merchantmen to conquer. We know also that David and Solomon equipped
large fleets, and even fought battles on sea."

"Whether an ancient or modern, a Jew or a Gentile," said Willis, "he
must have been a brave fellow who launched the first ship, and risked
himself and his goods at sea in it."

"True," continued Fritz; "but when once the equilibrium of a floating
body was known, there would be no longer any risk; as soon as it came
to be understood that any solid body would float if it were lighter
than its bulk of water, the matter was simple enough."

"Very good," interrupted Jack; "but the words 'when' and 'as soon as'
imply a great deal; _when_, or _as soon as_, we know anything, the
mystery of course disappears. But before! there is the difficulty.
Particles of water do not cohere--how is it, then, that a ship of war,
that often weighs two millions of pounds, does not sink through them,
and go to the bottom? Individuals, like myself for example, who are
not members of a learned society, may be pardoned for not knowing how
water bears the weight of a seventy-four."

"The seventy-four would, most undoubtedly, sink if it were heavier
than the weight of water it displaced; but this is not the case; wood
is generally lighter than water."

"The wood, yes; but the cannon, the cargo, and the crew?"

"You forget the cabooses, the cockpits, and the