eat was so oppressive. We had been obliged to give
over rowing, as much from the fatigue it occasioned as from the
hopelessness of our labour.

We now sat with sinking hearts watching the fast-retreating land. It
had become a point--it diminished to a speck, and as it disappeared from
our anxious sight, the sun set in all his glory, and we were drifting at
the mercy of the current we knew not where, with nothing but sky and sea
all around us.

CHAPTER FORTY FIVE.

Vainly I stretched my eyes around the illimitable field of ocean, in
hope of discerning some indication of that power whose ships I had been
told traversed every sea; but nothing like a vessel was in sight--the
mighty waters stretched out like an endless desert on every side. There
was no sign of man in all this vast space, except our little boat; and
in comparison with this space, how insignificant were the two helpless
human beings who sat silent and motionless in that boat awaiting their
destiny.

The stars came out with marvellous brilliancy. I fancied that I had
never seen them appear so bright; but probably the gloominess of my
thoughts made them look brighter by contrast. I seemed the centre of a
glorious system of worlds revolving above me with a calm and tranquil
beauty, that appeared to reproach me for giving way to despair in a
scene so lovely.

The great mass of water, scarcely moved by a ripple, now appeared lit up
with countless fires, and a purplish haze, like a low flame, was visible
in every direction. I directed the attention of my companion to this
strange appearance. Notwithstanding the intensity of her anxiety, she
immediately entered into an explanation of the phenomenon, and
attributed it to a peculiarly phosphoric state of the sea, caused by
myriads of creatures which possess the quality of the glowworm, and
rising to the surface of the water, made the latter seem as though
enveloped in flame.

I sat a long time watching the singular appearances that presented
themselves whenever I dashed down the oar. It looked as though I was
beating fire instead of water, and flame seemed to come from the oar
with the drops that fell from it into the sea.

In this way hours passed by: we were still floating with the current;
the moon and stars were now coldly shining over our heads; the ocean
around us was still gleaming with phosphoric fires, when Mrs Reichardt
advised me to take some nourishment, and then endeavour to go to sle