Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1821-09-10

IN a dSrs night. whon violently ag''a.ea'
has excited TIE attention or DaturalIsts,
and philosophers have noty sat'ei i'
riiy accounted tor timer us mystery
attending this appearance, which renders
il interesting; anu this, toge her with us
sublmity, raises emotions o Wohder ana
admiration. One evening we were called
up to view this phenomen n. Inc waves
we're unusually bright, the scene accom-
panied with circumstances which gave 1t
an interesting effect. The night was
dark and rainy, the sea ran moderately
high, the wind was ahead, and the spray
kept continually dashing over the bows.
Oar shi p seemed 10 be moving over waves
of LIQUID fire. All around there was no
thing to be seen but waves OF brilliant fre
toamins anu sparkling about us, as the
ship dashed through them, becoming
evanescent as they receded from her
SIDES, anu finally losing themselves IN
the darkness of the surrounding sea
Two grampuses we gamhoilnS across
our path Sometime they would take
their positions one Oh each side OF our
bowsprit, where they appeared to be har-
messed 10 the vessel, anu seemed TO draw
her over clouds OF light, powdered with
stars. Then they would rise to the sur
face, and spout brilliant scream OF hrei
while the sudden motion OF their tails
threw around them flash OF hight. They
left luminous train in tnelr wake, which
added greatly to their apparent length.
Upon looking over the stern, stream OF
LIGHT seemed to dart from the rudder of
! the ship, and to extend itself to great
distance behind. Two other similar
streams proc eeded from each quarter
Such was the strength OF the light, that
the name of the vessel could be distinctly
seen, and the SHADOW OF bodies was MADE
pretty plain.
This phenomenon of the ocean is most
remarkable after the repose OF "a long
calm. The water then seems to thlcken
with an infinite NUMBER OF small white
particles, which are plainly to be seen in
the day time, and as soon as it begins to
grow dark, the lucidity appears. That
the brightness is occasioned by these par,
ticles, we think there is no doubt-be,
cause, the thicker their appearance In the
d. Y Ii ght, the brighter the ocean is after
dark. To male this CONJECTURE Certain
we took large woollen cloth, and SO ex'
tended it as serve as sort OF stralner
and suspend it over the stern. In all hour
the vessel moving quietly all the time
the cloth had retained a quantity OF the
luminous matter on its surface. and IN the
folds of the cloth were dense masses OF l
! Upon handling it, it seemed to De mas:
of ielly When thrown upon deck, the
masses epara.ed, and the small particles
rebounded, SO as evidently to prove them
to be elastic bodies. If sing lie particle
struck place, it would shine with ex
ceeding brightness fora moment, then be
Gin to fade, and if undisturbed, bccan,t
in a few seconds extinct. Upon striking
it with hrisk motion of the foot, 1T woulo
again re!umine, and Immediately become
evanescent and disappear, so as not to bt
made again luminous. Taking single
particle into view, in microscope, it ap
peared to be semi pellucid whitish clio
bule of organized matter, but whether II
was animal or vegetable life, could notb'
determined.