plant; nor could I detect any roots, &c., which might have induced me to suppose that it had been once attached to the rocky bottom of the ocean. Our captain said it was carried by the great current out of the Gulf of Mexico; but there is no foundation for this supposition. Many of the sailors appeared to be quite familiar with its appearance, eat large quantities of it, and said it was the tropic grape that grew in Neptune's vineyard, and cured all diseases. Two great banks of this singular, stringy-looking weed are said to occur in the Atlantic Ocean. One of them is often met with to the west of the meridian of Fayal, one of the Azores, but the site of the other has not been correctly ascertained. Burnet tells us, that it vegetates within forty degrees of latitude on each side the equator, and that vessels homeward bound from Monte Video or the Cape, always pass through one field of it. It was known to the Phoenicians as the Weedy Sea, and the Spaniards and Portuguese call it Mar de Zaragossa. It is related of Columbus, that the sailors who attended him on his first voyage of discovery to America, on passing through these fields of sea-weed, urged him to proceed no further on the voyage, but to return home again, as they supersti→ tiously believed that this hindrance was designed by God to put a stop to his wild schemes.

It is astonishing what a trifle will create a bustle, and afford fresh subject for conversation at sea. A dead whale floating past, a ship in the distance, a passing shower, or even a shooting-star-all come

in for their share of discussion and debate; for a ship's company, generally speaking, are garrulous, and fond of making the most of everything that may occur to break in upon the monotony of a long voyage. Calms are favourable seasons for conversation, which is often, as I have remarked, of a somewhat melancholy and dispiriting character. Few persons can form an idea of the dreadful gloom that is cast over a ship's crew when a death occurs on board; and more particularly so, when that death has been accidental! I had once the misfortune to be a participator in a scene of this sad description, and to be aroused from my bed by the fearful announcement— "A man overboard!" We were creeping quietly along the eastern coast of Madagascar, and had been amusing ourselves, the evening before, by viewing from the poop that large and mountainous island, through a powerful telescope. We had first sighted it at noon, and the varied scenery was continually changing, as, with a light breeze, we stole onwards. Not being very far from the coast, we could easily descry, even with the naked eye, fires blazing upon the shore, and objects moving around them. The mate, who appeared to be gifted with a remarkably long vision, and who saw through his glass things which no one else could see, declared that a human sacrifice was going forward at a particular spot named, and it was amusing to watch the anxiety of the apprentice boys to witness this extraordinary scene, and to obtain permission to look through the

glass at the cannibals. I shall never forget the picturesque appearance of the mountains; bathed as their strange and ragged forms were in the rich hues of sunset. Some of these lofty hills tapered to a point; others bore an odd resemblance to towers or gigantic columns. As far as the eye could reach, mountains overtopped mountains, till the summits were undistinguishable in the purple haze of approaching night. I sat on the quarter-deck for some hours, watching this moving panorama; until at length darkness pitilessly shut out the lovely prospect. We had all been very merry that day, for we had caught the trade wind again; and the captain had welcomed the meeting with a bottle of noble champaign at dinner. The crew had an extra allowance of grog, and the boys had something very tempting for supper. Between two and three the following morning, I was disturbed by an unusual noise on deck, and by a great deal of running to and fro on the poop, over my little cabin. I sprang out of bed, and hastened on deck to inquire the cause; feeling, to say the truth, a little alarmed; for just about nightfall, there had passed us pretty close, a suspicious looking craft, which the captain took to be either a pirate or a slaver from the African coast. She burnt for a few minutes a white light at her bow, but never, as is customary with honest vessels, attempted to speak us. The second mate, whom I found in the greatest distress, told me that an apprentice-the poor boy's name was Morgan-had fallen overboard, from some

part of the rigging near the cross-trees. He was seen to strike the rail in his descent. A small step-ladder was immediately thrown over to him, and the alarm being given, one of the boats was lowered down from the davits, four or five of the crew jumped into it half naked, and pulled off in the direction in which it was supposed the boy would be carried by the current. The night was not very dark. Some bright stars were visible; yet there was a good deal of thick haze floating over the sea. The ship of course was put about; and but a few minutes had elapsed before every hand had turned out, and every eye was strained to catch a glimpse of the boat, which had disappeared in the fog. It was an anxious moment to all on board. No one spoke above a whisper. Occasionally the splash of the oars was heard, and the deep voice of the man who steered, calling "Morgan! Morgan!" reached the ear; but poor Morgan was never more to obey his summons; he had received one from higher authority; the deep, deep sea, had closed over his body; and his spirit had departed to Him who gave it. Sorrow was depicted upon the countenances of all, when the brave boatmen came on board without him, and after securing the boat, crept off one by one in silence to their hammocks. They had picked up the ladder, but not the boy. I returned to my cabin, but not to sleep. My mind was too full of the image of our departed shipmate. He, an only child, was a poor sickly lad, and had been my first patient on board. I thought of his poor mother,

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till the picture was too painful to be dwelt upon; so I got up and returned to the deck, which I paced till daybreak, feeling revived by the cool night wind, that had rather increased during the last few hours. As the white spray dashed from the bows, I more than once fancied I heard poor Morgan's voice, calling from the angry waters below me. The old grey-headed boatswain was huddled up behind the large watercask, in a great monkey jacket, for he had gone fast asleep after the trouble and exertion of the search for the lost boy. How easily, I thought, do some men take these awful warnings to be prepared for death! The mate joined me on deck; and we walked there together conversing on the uncertainty of life, till the shades of night were swept from off the bosom of the now beautiful ocean. The air was delicious, and Madagascar no longer visible to us. A few albatrosses, those mighty inhabitants of these regions, kept us company; and some stray Cape pigeons uttered their piercing little cry, as they followed in the wake of the vessel, and picked up the morsels of bread which the black cook seemed to take pleasure in throwing to them. The heavy dews of the past eventful night were still dripping from the sails and ropes; the dogs crept out from under the long boat, and shook their shaggy coats; the sleepers were awakened, and all was once more bustle and activity. Day had returned to the world, and man accordingly went "forth to his work and to his labour." The fine trade wind diverted our attention, and compelled