The Sun.
London, England, 1862-04-08 00:00:00

SHINING WATER.

However favourable the circumstances may otherwise
have been for the production of the phenomenon, perfectly
tranquil water was always completely dark. A concussion,
no matter how feeble, was requisite for the manifestation of
light. A grain of sand thrown upon the dark surface gave
rise to a luminous blot, and the undulations proceeding
from this centre were perceptible as luminous circles, be-
coming larger and larger, but at the same time more and
more faint in proportion to their distance; just as the con-
centric undulations themselves became more feeble as they
receded from the centre. A stone as large as one's fist
produced similar effects, but in a more marked degree ; and
then, moreover, the drops resulting from the splash resem-
bled the sparks flying from an anvil on which the black-
smith is welding a bar of iron raised to a white heat. Tran-
quillity being again restored to the surface, all returns to
that obscurity,
w would
uld andlea
lead
the i
mk keenest e
supposes t observer
that thiscoud
water,det
ecdtanrkothevineng
to blackness, was ready at any moment to burst into corus-
cations, and recognise by its phosphorescent play, the
descent upon its surface even of the minutest fragment of
straw. The oyster-bed was always encircled by a phos-
phorescent belt, arising from the constant undulations of
tho sea, which broke upon the beach in gentle ripples.
Seen from a distance, these little way, barely four inches
in height, presented a deal white tint, which ndght have
tstetrliLud•ett-o
bapeperrooawelniedthweiiii
been mistaken for foam illumintue(l by moonlight; but on
with aP ifit'dan?blue comparable atili t
he}
to that proceeding from a lighted, bowl of punch. When
they burst, the illumination, even as it appeared to a person
standing at the water's edge, became whiter and more
vivid, and the undulations often resembled waves of molten
lead or iron, bespangled all over with innumerable sparks
of a brilliant white, or whitish-green hue. A similar ap-
pearance was presented on the sand after the wavelets
had burst; for they imparted to it a uniformly white
and luminous tint, from which there appeared to sprinc,
myriads of h .'ntillatiens more vivid and intense than the
luminous ground. As the water became absorbed by the
sand, its limits were clearly defined by a bright luminous
cordon or baud, which indicated the extent to which it had
enread upon the shore.
When the hand was plunged into these fiery waves, and
then withdrawn, it was at first completely luminous; but
after a few seconds there only remained a number of glis-
tening specks, which were, however, tolerably persistent.
Water rawn from the beach, and poured from a certain
height, exactly resembled molten lead, and the splashing
drops presented precisely the same appearance. This lumin-
ous display was of considerable duration, and it was suffi-
ciently brilliant to deceive the instinct of animals. During
one of these nocturnal rambles, in which I was accompanied
by a friend who was aiding me in my experiments, the
watch-dog belonging to the oyster-bed came bounding to-
wards us, and barked loudly, thinking, no doubt, that he
had to deal with robbers. We repulsed him with the con-
tents of our brine-can, and `in order to escape from this
water, which he mistook for fire, he at once fled, and
contented himself with threatening us at a respectful dis-
tance.
Another circumstance whereby we may recognise that
movement is necessary for the manifestation of these lumi-
nous phenomena, is the following : That portion of the
beach from which the tide has just receded appears, as one
approaches it, to be quite free from phosphorescence; but
when trodden upcn, this is found not to be the case, for the
concussion caused by the foot in walking produces exactly
the same effect as the atone which is flung into the tranquil
water. The very ground appears to kindle under the steps
of the pedestrian, and the fine gravel presents the aspect of
red-hot cinders; this appearance, under the most favour-
able circumstances, extending at times to a distance of
some inches from the impression left by the foot.

The cause of this phosphorescence is now found to
be marine animals, the smaller kinds of which exist
in such innumerable multitudes that the spectator
sees, " as it were, a sheet of flame spread out before
him, whole waves being rendered luminous ; and,
having steeped his hands in the water, he finds, on
withdrawing them, that they, too, are washed with
light." To ascertain the influence of these animal
culm filtration through a floe handkerchief was
tried. " The Noctilucce remained upon the linen,
to which they imparted a brilliant light ; whilst, on
the other band, the filtered liquid presented no
signs of phosphorescence, notwithstanding every
means employed to promote it. When the nocti-
lucm were carefully washed from the filter and
placed in water that was previously dark, they at
once imparted to it a phosphorescent appearance."
Pursuing his observations and experiments further
M. de Quatrefages ascertained that the brightness
of some proceeded from a luminous mucus ; of
others from au internal substance, but in the great
majority of cases he saw " the light manifest itself
in sparks or scintillations, along the course of the
muscles alone, and only during their contraction.
This luminosity, however, the writer states, is
" a phenomenon very different in character
from that of phosphorus exposed to the air."
Nor is it attributable to "electricity," but to " the
living organism itself, and what may be termedpar
excellence the vital tissue, namely, the muscular,
produces the luminosity solely in virtue of its vital
function, namely, in that of contraction; and the
light emitted appears to be perfectly pure and in-
dependent of any other product." An interesting
paper, too, is that on " The Sun and Solar Pheno-
mena." It seems that that important luminary has,
during the past year, " been in an extraordinary
state of perturbation" through an eruption having
broken out on its face. No alarm, however, need
be felt as to its fate. It is going on as well as can
be expected, the blotches are gradually fading away;
for it is subject to these fits every five ydears
co.lour,"
remaining articles treat of " Light
The AP-
" The Great Exhibition Buildings.';lo" Manufac-
plication of Science to Electro - p all Thu White
tures," "Artificial Precious Stones,
There are also
Clover,"and "The Human Heara
Scientific Sum-
" Miscellanea," "Reviews, and
t
mary.
The Wedical Critic and Psychological Journal.
Blessings on him
that invented sleet) "
, said
"
Sancho. man all up like it covers a a cloak."
True, sound sleep does BO; but if
mind or body be
ill at ease, the dreams
that may
C°come" making
"shall give us p,/ ere we uncon-
ditionally hideous," pause"
honest Sanch '
ditionally accept 0' s dictum, especially
the revelations on
after ....,ream thought and
Dream life
• " in the present number of this journal.
Not that it proposes to settle the question as to the
nature of dreams or their value, but it relates a
number of very curious observations and experi-
ments on the subject, and is evidently written by
one who has devoted considerable attention to it.
"What is wanted,"
says the writer, " in the prose-
cution of the subject is not so much facts as u prin-
ciple upon Which these might be systematised; but
this might be obtained by comparing the condition

EPIDEMIC NIG lint Aim
The regiment of La Tour d'Au v erge t., when in garri-
son at l'altni, in Calabria, received orders to start at mid-
night, and to reach Tropes, by forced matches, in order to
oppose the landing of the enemy, who threatened the har-
bour. It Was in the month of Jane. thee troops had In
traverse a distance of about forty miles ; leaving at midnight,
they arrived about seven o'clock in the evening, and having
rested for a short time only, they suffered considerably from
the heat, of the sun. As the battalion waes the last to
arrive, they were apportioned the worst barn,:cks ; and
800 men were crowded into :t building which, ureder ordi-
nary circumstances, cou.'d not have contained above the
half. They squatted upon e,,traw laid upon the earth, with-7
out covering, and without undyessing. The building svas
an old deserted abbey. The inhabitants of the locality'
warned the soldiers that they would not be able to retain
I oven this lodging, that it was haunted nightly by spirits,
' and that other regiments had tried in vain. to obtain rest
there. We laughed at this credulity, but were much
astonished when, at midnight, there issued froo every
corner of the ruin the most frightful miss, and to B,le the -
soldiers rush out and flee panic-struck. When questioned,
they all declared the devil inhabited the abbey, that they
let
had seen him enter byan openififin the door of their apart -
raent under the form of an en rinous black shaggy
dog,
that he rushed at them crease it breast with the quick-
ness of lightning, and disappear 'Upon the opposite side to
that at which he came in. We ridiculed their terror, and
endeavoured to prove that the phenomenon depended upon
simple and natural causes, and was, in fact, the result of
the excited imagination. We failed, however, in convine-
ing them, and in persuading them to return to their quar-
ters; and they passed the night upon the beach and scat-
tered through the town. When the sergeants
and oldest
soldiers were interrogated upon the following aay, they de-
clared that they were inaccessible to any sort of fear, that
they did not believe in ghosts or hobgoblins, and appeared
persuaded that the scene in the barrack was a reality, and
not to be attributed to imagination, as they were scarcely
asleep when the dog rushed in, that saw the animal dis-
tinctly, and. that they felt suffocated at the moment when.
he jumped upon their chest. The regiment was de-
tained in Trepea, and occupied the same building on the
following night. The men had been spoken to, and were
comforted and supported by the presence and the scepticism
of their officers, who placed themselves in the different
chambers; yet about one o'clock the same shrieks arose,
and the same individuals who had been assaulted by the
hell-hound on the previous night rushed in trepidation into
the open air in order to escape suffocation. The watchers
saw nothing but the panic.
The surgeon of the regiment, who is the narrator, adds,
that although repeatedly exposed to similar hardships, ha
had never witnessed his comrades so affected, and attributes(
the epidemic to the state of the atmosphere and other very
obvious circumstances. Every event is explicable save the
simultaneous appearance of the same spectre at the same
time in dream to a number of individuals. Even upon the
supposition that all the soldiers were drawn from the same
district, and that in Auvergne the recognised form of Satan.,
was canine and of the Catholic colour black, there will re-.
main an unexplained difficulty, not more inexplicable,
however, than many phases of waking thought.
But the writer admits that "the materials of which
the fabric of dreams is composed are generally
recent and ordinary impressions fantastically er-
ranged," and instances the following narrative by
Dr. M'Nish of

- -
PATCHWORK.
" I dreamed," he writes, " that I walked upon the Great
Canal in the neighbourhood of Glasgow. On the opposite
side stood the splendid portico of the Royal Exchange,
actually some miles distant. A gentleman, whom I knew,
was standing upon one of the steps, and we spoke to
each other. I lilted a large stone and. poised it my hand,
when he said he was sure that I could not throw it .to
certain spot which he pointed out. I made the attempt,
and fell short of the mark. At this moment a well-known
friend came up, whom I knew to excel at putting the
stone ; but strange to say he had lost both his legs, and
walked upon wooden substitutes. This struck me as exceed-
ingly curious ; for my impression was that he had only lost
one leg and had but a single wooden one. At my desire
he took up the stone, and without difficulty threw it beyond
the point indicated by the gentleman upon the opposite
side of the canal."
The elements of this patchwork are to be found in a walk.
upon the previous day along the canal with • a friend ; a•
remark, on passing the Exclumge, as to the improved effect
which might have been s.cured by the selection of an ele-
vated site ; the passing an excavation where a work/ van had
a few days before been so crushed that both his legs hod re-
quired amputation; the recollection of a joke as to the re-
moving the leg of the friend who was the swim-throwing'
athlete.
Of more practical value, if not so readable, is the
article on "The lieapli of the Army, Prospective'
and Retrospective." It lays especial stress on ven •
tilatiou, and gives a number of illustrative dia-
grams. "The Province of Psychology" is the sub•
jest of a paper by the Rev. W. G. Davies. That on
" Slow and Secret Poisoning" has an attractive
title, but it says little of poisoners, much on pcisons,
and contains some curious statements as to the
benefical effects of arsehic taken in small doses.
The remaining papers treat of
"Hallucinations in
Insanity," " The Unity of the
Human Species,"
" The Legal Doctrine of Fact in 1.,Z.
inacy, and the
case of George Clarke;" and of " Medi:Cal and Lite-
rary Gossip" there is an ample supply.

MISCELLANEOUS.
Good Words—Excellent and varied as usual, the
contents offer something for all. There is a paper
on " Sunday," by the Editor. Archbishop Whately-
writes on "Hope and Fear," and "Influence."
Gerald Massey has a poem called "Pictures in the
Fire." The tale of " Mistress and Al aid" increases in
interest, and the remaining articles will be found
well worth perusal.
The Sixpenny Magazine.—An article on " The
Steam Navy of England" opens this number. Four
tales are in progress. A large instalment of
"Fables, Ancient and Modern," appears. Our old
friend Cellini, styled " Goldsmith, sculptor and
manslayer," is treated to a memoir ; and " Animal
Life in the Ocean" is interesting and excellent, as
usual. __ _ _

--
Every Boy's Magazine.—" The Wild Man of the
Wcst" has reached its sixth chapter ; and we find
"The Ghost of Bob Bowser's Dog," "Amongst the
Showfolks," and " Adventur©s of Clever .Tack,,"
still in progress. There is an article on "Chess, '
another on " Hockey," and one on the game called
"French and English."
Baily's Monthly Magazine.—Devoted to " Sports
and Pastimes," tads number contains an excellent
portrait of John Scott, the celebrated trainer, with
a biography; an essay styled "Alpha and Omega;"
the continuation of a tale called " Charlie Thorn-
hill," and various other articles on Racing, Cricket,
&c.

Chambers's Journal : The Book of .Days.—Both
these publications are full of readable matter, and
the excellence of the former is universally known-
The latter, of which the third part is before us, will
when complete form a work containing anineth.i"g
of interest for every day in the year,
from this specimen, it will be solid as well as
n—twasivver:i:lll.lBzote:iloerkeul
peculiarly
agree-
able.
Newton Arts and Sciences
and, judging
oir of 15 1
rune , van-
contains a critique. on the Memt 0
f recent patents,
ge London Journal of
.r. ,
ous scientific notices, ai2
and two diagrams, the one o. , 0 agnier6's Weav-
;,.—This
other of " Paignon Vaudaux ana
ing." Electric Signals the
Rout/edge's Illustrated":
ood, is now upon the
The engravings are warner-
very interesting and excellent
a•v.
daeupctaerdtmbeyntt hofeFßisehve.l.
n itastutrhailirdst,i andt buthils
a,nd
aursrtaiinitbe
by Anthony Trellope ; , ny.on,
°uso
valuable.a nledy g.;ao
rd:
Leyer.;:he former " -
is in its fourteenth
- ns of their respective authors.
lectures
lectures on the Ancient and Modern Dramatic
Poets, by B• C. Jones. Si 1,
Vie health, of the loyal Navy
--alPrdn, Marshall, and Co.
—The eighth part is reached, the ninth lecture, .
. is
commenced, and the theme •
nbyomCbhearr,ltelise latter . i
JEschylus. is the tragedies of
The subject wicke, Piecadili . _ Considered. Hard-
dSe. uPtalykientg:led ita
a pamphlet, )y.
his is a letter, in the shape of
addressedecur
at
toe
Ityh.e Right Hon. Sir John
ec, 11., Bart., by Gavin Milroy, M,1)., &c.
t. is important, and the writer has evi-

PLYMOUTH, Saturday.—The barque Westbury,
330 tons, Captain Thomas Smith, belonging to Mr. T. B.
Walker, from Launceston January 3, with 1,244 bales of
wool and 10 tons of ground Mimosa bark, and 2 passenger°
for London, was off Start. Point, at 4 p.m. on Thursday
under all sail, with a light hind from south-west. She
experienced strong unsteady winds in the early portion of
her voyage; fell in with ice in lat 52 S, long 170 W, where
she was compelled to keep under easy sail,
and so continued
until she reached 100 west longitude, and 57 south latitude,
having had to veer and haul 45 times to avoid so many
bergs. 011 February 3, during a heavy squall from south-
west,and carried away her wheel,
let 5S 8, long 72 W, the ship broached to, lost fore.
topgallant mast and several sails, and incurred other da-
sgkalyeliPgolria,
maga; and on the 11th, let 47 S, long 45 W, there was a
WofelsCtbanurdyy rounded Cape Born F b— ':
violent gale from south-west, accompanied by a terrific ,ea;
the ship was pooped, and lost more canvass. The same
crossed the equator March 4 ; and spoke March 5, late 0. 4 '
N, long 26 47 w, the ship City of Randy,
a thee. IClitey
from fir.' for4l
Liverpool; and March 15, let 16 19 N, long 40 7.ii the
barque_Blonde, from flull,