Linn.), was caught by our ſailors. Some remoras, that thought themſelves in ſafety as long as they remained fixed to the body of the ſhark, kept their hold ſtill for a conſiderable time after the fiſh had been brought upon deck.
As the weather was exceſſively hot, and the ſea very tranquil, Piron and Saint-Agnan, unable to reſiſt their deſire of cooling themſelves by bathing, plunged themſelves a few hours afterwards into the ſea, at the hazard of becoming the prey of another ſhark.
It had remained calm almoſt the whole day; but about eight in the evening the ſkies were covered to the ſouth-eaſt with thick clouds, that portended a violent ſtorm. The night was very dark; and ſoon a luminous column of immenſe height was ſeen to deſcend from theſe clouds, and illumine the ſurface of the water. The ſcintillation of the ſea was for ſome time interrupted by ſeveral intervals, during which it was quite dark; when all of a ſudden the whole ſurface of the ſea appeared covered with a ſheet of fire, extending in our direction. This ſheet was puſhed along by a very high gale, which raiſed the waves to a great pitch; and we ſaw ourſelves ſurrounded with a ſea of flames, which afforded one of the moſt brilliant ſpectacles in nature. This phenomenon very ſoon diſappeared; but the
ſea
