ill hung about the horizon. The
schooner, lying in the trough of the sea, was fearfully uneasy; but
towards night a regular gale of wind commenced, and our vessel was hove
to under a double-reefed foresail. It was near the close of the first
watch when the fore-topsail getting loose on the lee yard arm, I went
aloft to secure it. After I had accomplished this work, I lingered a few
minutes on the yard to enjoy the beauty of the storm. The waves, urged
by the fury of the gale, were breaking around us in majestic style;
the schooner was rocking to and fro, and occasionally took a lee lurch,
which made every timber in her bottom quiver.

I had finished my survey of the wind and weather, and was about to
descend to the deck, when I carelessly cast my eyes aloft, and there
beheld a sight which struck terror to my soul. On the very summit of the
main-topmast on the truck itself, was A HUGE BALL OF FIRE! It seemed
a mass of unearthly light of livid hue, which shed a dismal radiance
around. The rain fell at the time, but quenched it not; and the
heaviest gusts of wind served neither to extinguish it, nor increase its
brilliancy. It kept its station unmoved, shining terribly through the
storm, like some dread messenger, sent by a superior power to give
warning of impending disaster.

I was appalled with terror at the sight. Although by no means credulous
or superstitious, I could hardly resist the belief that this globe of
fire, which appeared thus suddenly in the midst of a furious storm,
at dead of night, and on a spot where it could not have been placed or
kindled by the hand of man, was of supernatural origin. I shuddered with
fear; a strange giddiness came over me; and I had hardly strength to
cling to the shrouds as I descended to the deck.

I pointed out the object of my terror to my watch-mate, the French
carpenter, who gazed at it earnestly, and then, turning to me, nodded
his head emphatically two or three times, like a Chinese mandarin, and
grinned. This pantomimic display was intended to convey much meaning
more than I could interpret. But it convinced me that the carpenter was
familiar with such sights, which, perhaps, were not very remarkable,
after all.

When the watch was called, I pointed out the fiery ball to Eastman, and
to Mr. Adams, the mate, and learned that the object which gave me such
a fright was not of very unfrequent occurrence during a gale of wind. It
was known among seamen by the name of CORPOS