to make up for
the absence of the moon by shining with intense brightness. The water
had been more phosphorescent than usual, so that every little fish left
a track of light behind him, greatly disproportionate to his size. As
the night wore on, the sea grew brighter and brighter, until by midnight
we appeared to be sailing on an ocean of lambent flames. Every little
wave that broke against the ship's side sent up a shower of diamond-like
spray, wonderfully beautiful to see, while a passing school of porpoises
fairly set the sea blazing as they leaped and gambolled in its glowing
waters. Looking up from sea to sky, the latter seemed quite black
instead of blue, and the lustre of the stars was diminished till they
only looked like points of polished steel, having quite lost for the
time their radiant sparkle. In that shining flood the blackness of the
ship stood out in startling contrast, and when we looked over the side
our faces were strangely lit up by the brilliant glow.

For several hours this beautiful appearance persisted, fading away
at last as gradually as it came. No satisfactory explanation of this
curious phenomenon has ever been given, nor does it appear to portend
any change of weather. It cannot be called a rare occurrence, although
I have only seen it thrice myself--once in the Bay of Cavite, in the
Philippine Islands; once in the Pacific, near the Solomon Islands; and
on this occasion of which I now write. But no one who had ever witnessed
it could forget so wonderful a sight.

One morning, a week after are had taken our departure from the
Seychelles, the officer at the main crow's-nest reported a vessel of
some sort about five miles to the windward. Something strange in her
appearance made the skipper haul up to intercept her. As we drew nearer,
we made her out to be a Malay "prahu;" but, by the look of her, she
was deserted. The big three-cornered sail that had been set, hung in
tattered festoons from the long, slender yard, which, without any gear
to steady it, swung heavily to and fro as the vessel rolled to the long
swell. We drew closer and closer, but no sign of life was visible on
board, so the captain ordered a boat to go and investigate.

In two minutes we were speeding away towards her, and, making a sweep
round her stern, prepared to board her. But we were met by a stench
so awful that Mr. Count would not proceed, and at once returned to the
ship. The boat was quickly hoisted again, and th