fifth, thanks be to
Heaven, there came a breeze. Dancingly, mincingly it came, just
rippling the sea, until it struck our sails, previously set at the
very first token of its advance. At length it slightly freshened; and
our poor Chamois seemed raised from the dead.

Beyond expression delightful! Once more we heard the low humming of
the sea under our bow, as our boat, like a bird, went singing on its way.

How changed the scene! Overhead, a sweet blue haze, distilling
sunlight in drops. And flung abroad over the visible creation was the
sun-spangled, azure, rustling robe of the ocean, ermined with wave
crests; all else, infinitely blue. Such a cadence of musical sounds!
Waves chasing each other, and sporting and frothing in frolicsome
foam: painted fish rippling past; and anon the noise of wings as sea-
fowls flew by.

Oh, Ocean, when thou choosest to smile, more beautiful thou art than
flowery mead or plain!

CHAPTER XVII
In High Spirits, They Push On For The Terra Incognita

There were now fourteen notches on the loom of the Skyeman's oar:--So
many days since we had pushed from the fore-chains of the Arcturion.
But as yet, no floating bough, no tern, noddy, nor reef-bird, to
denote our proximity to land. In that long calm, whither might not
the currents have swept us?

Where we were precisely, we knew not; but according to our reckoning,
the loose estimation of the knots run every hour, we must have sailed
due west but little more than one hundred and fifty leagues; for the
most part having encountered but light winds, and frequent
intermitting calms, besides that prolonged one described. But spite
of past calms and currents, land there must be to the westward. Sun,
compass, stout hearts, and steady breezes, pointed our prow thereto.
So courage! my Viking, and never say drown!

At this time, our hearts were much lightened by discovering that our
water was improving in taste. It seemed to have been undergoing anew
that sort of fermentation, or working, occasionally incident to ship
water shortly after being taken on board. Sometimes, for a period, it
is more or less offensive to taste and smell; again, however,
becoming comparatively limpid.

But as our water improved, we grew more and more miserly of so
priceless a treasure.

And here it may be well to make mention of another little
circumstance, however unsentimental. Thorough-paced tar that he was,
my Viking was an inordinate consumer of the Indi