I have been at sea, this is only the second' time I haveseen- the
thrasher fighting with a whale.
The thrasher belongs to the species of sharks, but I can give!no
further description of this fish; for when first we perceived him,' it
was at a considerable distance, and the animal coritinfted his
course very rapidly, still fighting all the time that we were able to
observe him. You will however naturally suppose that this must be
a fish:of the first rate in size, as he is able -to fightwith the whale.
We had only a momentary opportunity of perceiving i the latter,
when he raised his head;out of the water to breathe the, air, and he
spouted frequently.
Feb. I6lh.—We are now in the fifth degree of north latitude,
being obliged to sail so near the Line, to avoid the strong currents
from carrying us too far out of our course, and. hindering; us from
making the river5Surinam. Although rapidly approaching the'Line,
we feel no particular inconvenience from the heat; a large awning
shelters us from the powerful rays of the sun, and the Tropicah
bfeeze makes the air extremely pleasant; there is so little,'motion
in the ship, that iwo« have been able to fill a bumper in memory of
our absent friends, without spilling the least drop. This sailing.ds
like a pleasure party on a river ; and ifthe sea were every: where so
smooth and delightful as it generally is in this part of the, world,
an agreeable companion might sooner be engaged to go upon a
long voyage.
Feb. 17th.—The sea becomes more ammated,incredibly large
Hocks of flying fish are passing us, and though they are pursued, by
many different enemies, kind naturehas provided them the means
of escaping from them all. Whilst they are attacked by the other
fishes they use their winged-fins to get into the air; but asisoon as
• they expect to be attacked by a bird, they, return to/the deep
again; and their great number shews how successful: they must
be in general in effecting their escape. Their increase is; likewise
extremely great, and in this respect they are like, the herring, to
which1 alSo they bear a. resemblance in shape.
Various birds are likewise passing, over our heads, of which the
tropical bird is, as .you musrknpwf the most remarkable;*/being distinguished
by two very long1 feathers ,iu~ felfo tail. I remember to
have read in. the account of some voyage,'that this bird has. but one
long 'feather ; but it^is very likely that the. bird, seen, by, the author
df. that observation, had lost l one pf its feathers ;i tliere are many
different species of birds which have two feathers in the tail, longer
than the rest of their plumage, but I remetiaber no species distinguished'with
Only'■one long feather. ,
We have observed since sailing in the Tropics, that the water appears
more illuminated during the night: you know,.the different
opinions of the naturalists respecting this, phaefromenon; some of
them ascribe.it .to the fry of the fishes,, and ofher^fo dead particles
of; animals, ,and vegetabfes; but this lightning, is* not merely apparent1'
on the surface; for I remember when I was at Naples, and
used tb bathein the sea every evening,for my health, I. found the
water produce flashes of light, even close to the ground on.which
I trod^ now what an infinite .number,, of--fhe fry of fishes , would it
require to’ produce such an effect? and. it .is.less likely .that so
many putrified particles-should .be dissolved ift tjbe’ sea without
producing any bad consequences*'5- It . .seems,; therefore, „that the
water, itself, is ^pregnant with an electric’ fluid, for when a bucket
full of water, was taken up, and someof it- poured, into-a; glass. it
soon lost the effect of this light entirely. Now, if it ;was, the effcct
of the fry .of .the, fishes, or like the gl’ow^woqn- and seme otherin-
■sects, it s^sgnot probably that they should die in sp^sjfo^t a time,
.much less that in this i;istanCe,;the putrified. bodies .should immediately
lose the shining ,; quality, when we see it continue^so. long
in rotten* wood, &c.;.'but here, the electric fluid may sooner vanish
with the evaporation of the water, and this fluid will attach itself
C