13

A book in astronomy would have been very acceptab
le during the voyage It would have whiled away
many an hour They are quite jolly on deck.
to-night a violin is playing on the forecast
le accompanied by singing & cracking
jokes an acordian & dancing amid ships &
I hear a banjo & clappers playing aft. I notice
for the first time the phosporescent lights
in the water. It proceeds I am infromed
from small insects (varying in size from eighth of
an inch to half a crown that is the lights
seen on the water) They are indiscern
able with the naked eye and can only
be seen by a microscope they shine on
the water like bright little stars We sighte
d a vessels light ahead about 11"0 p.m
& she being a sailing ship our engines
ceased to allow her to pass steamers are
always supposed to give way to sailing vessels The
passed close to us and proved to be a good sized barqu