Chapter 38
1182 Words
The Sea On Fire
The night following our abandonment of the Parki, was made memorable
by a remarkable spectacle.
Slumbering in the bottom of the boat, Jarl and I were suddenly
awakened by Samoa. Starting, we beheld the ocean of a pallid white
color, corruscating all over with tiny golden sparkles. But the
pervading hue of the water cast a cadaverous gleam upon the boat, so
that we looked to each other like ghosts. For many rods astern our
wake was revealed in a line of rushing illuminated foam; while here
and there beneath the surface, the tracks of sharks were denoted by
vivid, greenish trails, crossing and recrossing each other in every
direction. Farther away, and distributed in clusters, floated on the
sea, like constellations in the heavens, innumerable Medusae, a
species of small, round, refulgent fish, only to be met with in the
South Seas and the Indian Ocean.
Suddenly, as we gazed, there shot high into the air a bushy jet of
flashes, accompanied by the unmistakable deep breathing sound of a
sperm whale. Soon, the sea all round us spouted in fountains of fire;
and vast forms, emitting a glare from their flanks, and ever and anon
raising their heads above water, and shaking off the sparkles, showed
where an immense shoal of Cachalots had risen from below to sport in
these phosphorescent billows.
The vapor jetted forth was far more radiant than any portion of the
sea; ascribable perhaps to the originally luminous fluid contracting
still more brilliancy from its passage through the spouting canal of
the whales.
We were in great fear, lest without any vicious intention the
Leviathans might destroy us, by coming into close contact with our
boat. We would have shunned them; but they were all round and round
us. Nevertheless we were safe; for as we parted the pallid brine, the
peculiar irradiation which shot from about our keel seemed to deter
them. Apparently discovering us of a sudden, many of them plunged
headlong down into the water, tossing their fiery tails high into the
air, and leaving the sea still more sparkling from the violent
surging of their descent.
Their general course seemed the same as our own; to the westward. To
remove from them, we at last out oars, and pulled toward the north.
So doing, we were steadily pursued by a solitary whale, that must
have taken our Chamois for a kindred fish. Spite of all our efforts,
he drew nearer and nearer; at length rubbing his fiery flank against
the Chamois' gunwale, here and there leaving long strips of the
glossy transparent substance which thin as gossamer invests the body
of the Cachalot.
In terror at a sight so new, Samoa shrank. But Jarl and I, more used
to the intimate companionship of the whales, pushed the boat away
from it with our oars: a thing often done in the fishery.
The close vicinity of the whale revived in the so long astute Skyeman
all the enthusiasm of his daring vocation. However quiet by nature, a
thorough-bred whaleman betrays no little excitement in sight of his
game. And it required some persuasion to prevent Jarl from darting
his harpoon: insanity under present circumstances; and of course
without object. But "Oh! for a dart," cried my Viking. And "Where's
now our old ship?" he added reminiscently.
But to my great joy the monster at last departed; rejoining the
shoal, whose lofty spoutings of flame were still visible upon the
distant line of the horizon; showing there, like the fitful starts of
the Aurora Borealis.
The sea retained its luminosity for about three hours; at the
expiration of half that period beginning to fade; and excepting
occasional faint illuminations consequent upon the rapid darting of
fish under water, the phenomenon at last wholly disappeared.
Heretofore, I had beheld several exhibitions of marine
phosphorescence, both in the Atlantic and Pacific. But nothing in
comparison with what was seen that night. In the Atlantic, there is
very seldom any portion of the ocean luminous, except the crests of
the waves; and these mostly appear so during wet, murky weather.
Whereas, in the Pacific, all instances of the sort, previously
corning under my notice, had been marked by patches of greenish
light, unattended with any pallidness of sea. Save twice on the coast
of Peru, where I was summoned from my hammock to the alarming
midnight cry of "All hands ahoy! tack ship!" And rushing on deck,
beheld the sea white as a shroud; for which reason it was feared we
were on soundings.
Now, sailors love marvels, and love to repeat them. And from many an
old shipmate I have heard various sage opinings, concerning the
phenomenon in question. Dismissing, as destitute of sound philosophic
probability, the extravagant notion of one of my nautical friends--no
less a philosopher than my Viking himself--namely: that the
phosphoresence of the sea is caused by a commotion among the
mermaids, whose golden locks, all torn and disheveled, do irradiate
the waters at such times; I proceed to record more reliable theories.
Faraday might, perhaps, impute the phenomenon to a peculiarly
electrical condition of the atmosphere; and to that solely. But
herein, my scientific friend would be stoutly contradicted by many
intelligent seamen, who, in part, impute it to the presence of large
quantities of putrescent animal matter; with which the sea is well
known to abound.
And it would seem not unreasonable to suppose, that it is by
this means that the fluid itself becomes charged with the luminous
principle. Draw a bucket of water from the phosphorescent ocean, and
it still retains traces of fire; but, standing awhile, this soon
subsides. Now pour it along the deck, and it is a stream of flame;
caused by its renewed agitation. Empty the bucket, and for a space
sparkles cling to it tenaciously; and every stave seems ignited.
But after all, this seeming ignition of the sea can not be wholly
produced by dead matter therein. There are many living fish,
phosphorescent; and, under certain conditions, by a rapid throwing
off of luminous particles must largely contribute to the result. Not
to particularize this circumstance as true of divers species of
sharks, cuttle-fish, and many others of the larger varieties of the
finny tribes; the myriads of microscopic mollusca, well known to
swarm off soundings, might alone be deemed almost sufficient to
kindle a fire in the brine.
But these are only surmises; likely, but uncertain.
After science comes sentiment.
A French naturalist maintains, that the nocturnal radiance of the
fire-fly is purposely intended as an attraction to the opposite s*x;
that the artful insect illuminates its body for a beacon to love.
Thus: perched upon the edge of a leaf, and waiting the approach of
her Leander, who comes buffeting with his wings the aroma of the
flowers, some insect Hero may show a torch to her gossamer gallant.
But alas, thrice alas, for the poor little fire-fish of the sea,
whose radiance but reveals them to their foes, and lights the way to
their destruction.
- Writer
