s been cutting some teeth and has suffered
from a rash. Muriel has been bitten all over by mosquitoes, and
Mabelle has also suffered from heat-rash. Just now every little
ailment suggests small-pox to our minds.

About noon, when in latitude 6.25 North, and in longitude 88.25 East,
we began to encounter a great deal of drift wood, many large trees,
branches, plants, leaves, nautilus shells, back-bones of cuttlefish,
and, in addition, large quantities of yellow spawn, evidently
deposited by some fish of large size. The spawn appeared to be of a
very solid, consistent character, like large yellow grapes, connected
together in a sort of gelatinous mass. It formed a continuous wide
yellow streak perhaps half a mile in length, and with the bits of wood
and branches sticking up in its midst at intervals, it would not have
required a very lively imagination to fashion it at a little distance
into a sea serpent. Where does all this _debris_ come from? was the
question asked by everybody. Out of the Bay of Bengal probably,
judging from the direction of the current. We wondered if it could
possibly be the remains of some of the trees uprooted by the last
great cyclone.

At 1.30 p.m. a man cried out from the rigging, 'Boat on the starboard
bow!' a cry that produced great excitement immediately; our course was
altered and telescopes and glasses brought to bear upon the object in
question. Every one on board, except our old sailing master, said it
was a native boat. Some even said that they could see a man on board
waving something. Powell alone declared it to be the root of a palm
from the Bay of Bengal, and he proved right. A very large root it was,
with one single stem and a few leaves hanging down, which had exactly
the appearance of broken masts, tattered sails, and torn rigging. We
went close alongside to have a good look at it; the water was as clear
as crystal, and beneath the surface were hundreds of beautifully
coloured fish, greedily devouring something--I suppose small insects,
or fish entangled among the roots.

_Tuesday, March 27th_.--It requires a great effort to do anything,
except before sunrise or after sunset, owing to the intense heat; and
when one is not feeling well it makes exertion still more difficult.
At night the heat below is simply unbearable; the cabins are deserted,
and all mattresses are brought up on deck.

CHAPTER XXV.

CEYLON.

_Thus was this place
_A happy rural seat of vari