stems, and surprises one with its uncouth, almost shapeless form, and leather-like consistence. But the most vivacious, and therefore the most amusing of the denizens of this floating forest that I found, were the different sorts of crabs and shrimps that abounded in it. Their numbers, their variety, the brilliant hues of many, the peculiarities of structure that fitted them for an ocean-life, the instincts which impelled the strong to prey on the weaker, and the latter to escape, with the watchfulness, cunning, agility, and artful devices continually brought into exercise by both parties in this predatory warfare, afforded an instructive entertainment for many an hour.

It would make this letter far too long, if I were to describe in detail all that was interesting to me as a naturalist. The ocean, like the land, is peculiarly prolific in the manifestations of life, beneath the genial influence of the vernal sun; and in the latitudes which I was now traversing, the forms of animal existence assume astonishing variety and brilliancy. That splendid creature, the coryphene, or dolphin of mariners, was a frequent visitant to our little craft; the spotted rudder-fish, and the purple-banded pilot, were often seen beneath the stern: that strange fish, the remora, would occasionally fasten itself by the curious mechanism of its coronal shield to the vessel's quarter, or to the side of some lurking shark, thus taking a ride, like those dishonest boys who jump up behind a passing coach, without expense. Shoals of playful porpoises would gambol round us, and presently troop off in haste as suddenly as they came, and the direful shark was rarely absent, the constant object of hope and fear to sailors,-hope, that they may catch the shark; fear lest, by any mischance, the shark may catch them. Nor is this fear quite groundless, as an unexpected plunge overboard may at any time occur. One of our crew, attempting to strike a dolphin with the harpoon, had posted himself on the taffrail; but in his eagerness, reaching too far, followed his weapon overboard with a splash. I was surprised to see what little impression he made in the water, though falling from such a height; he did not even go beneath the surface, but fell just as a cork would fall into water. His shipmates gave him the end of a rope and hauled him up, amidst some jokes upon his zeal for fishing; though he looked rather serious about it.

A flying-fish would now and then start from a heaving wave, and skim the surface like a bird upon the wing; and many "feathered fowl" were ready to repay the complimentary visit, by diving into the domain-proper of the fish. The petrels, familiar and confiding, trode the yielding billows, or hovered

except one little rag of a storm-sail. The lightning speedily increased, and before we had our canvas secured, such a storm came on as I had never before witnessed. It was not so much the force of the wind, though it blew heavily, and the shrill gusts shrieked through the naked spars and cordage; but the lightning was terrible. At very short intervals the whole space between heaven and sea was filled with vivid flame, making every rope and spar as plain and distinct as in broadest sunshine, and leaving the eyes obscured in pitchy darkness for four or five seconds after every flash; darkness the most intense and absolute, not that of the night, which was not very dark, but the effect of the blinding glare upon the eye. The thunder was not remarkably heavy, though there were some loud explosions. In the height of the gale, the curious electrical appearances called mariners' lights were to be seen on the mast-heads and upper spars, seven or eight at a time. From the deck they looked like dim stars, so much so, that I thought the sky was really becoming clear, and that the stars were appearing in openings between the clouds. The storm lasted an hour or two, and then moderated into a smart breeze, having quickly shifted round to the quarter anticipated:

But soon after this, one fine morning after a good night's run, we saw a long low tongue of land, with some scattered pine-trees on its ridge, and a white lighthouse at its termination. This was announced to be Mobile Point; two pilot-boats were cruising about, from which we took a man and at once passed over the bar. This can only be passed at certain states of the tide, and is always dangerous; the breakers were running on it when we passed. There are several small islands about,-mere low, flat sand-banks, over which the tide runs, but on one of them there is another lighthouse erected. As we passed within a few hundred yards of the point, many specimens of a pretty moth flew on board; they were Geometræ, with angular wings, of a rich velvety cream colour, without spots. A very fine individual of the black swallowtail butterfly (Papilio asterius) likewise fluttered about the vessel. Flocks of pelicans (Pelicanus fuscus) were flying about, and shoals of dolphins (Delphinus delphis) were wallowing and frisking in the water close to the shore. The pilot left us here, and the low point speedily sunk beneath the horizon, as we rapidly ran before a fair breeze up the beautiful bay, which is about thirty miles long. Mobile does not come into view until we are close upon it, being hidden behind a wooden cape or projection, on which is a third lighthouse. But my thoughts of this city and subsequent adventures, I shall defer to my next, and for the present say, Adieu!

[53]

TWENTY-FOUR HOURS WITH A BEDOUIN.-No. V.

THE sheik recounted many exploits similar to what I have related in the preceding chapters, and some that savoured even more of the marvellous, and then the unhappy culprit had to be bastinadoed again, a fate from which, by many protestations, we succeeded in begging him off; so the sheik dismissed him with the admonition to mind and prove more successful the next time he set out on a plundering expedition: and the culprit, very much abashed, slunk away, secretly determined to wash out the slur cast upon him by some more than usually daring exploit, the victim of which, for. all we could foresee to the contrary, might be ourselves and our purses. Not, however, during this trip, for this time we were secure from the aims or intentions of all of that tribe. I left the sheik settling some minor dispute which had happened amongst the women relative to eggs declared to have been stolen, and sauntering from tent to tent, watched the out-door occupations of

the damsels of this encampment: most of them were busily intent upon the manufacturing of elegant hearthrugs, such, for material, colouring, and pattern as I have seldom seen rivalled in any other part of the world; but even these were of an inferior quality (being made expressly for sale) to what each girl manufactured entirely with her own hands, and without any assistance, against the hoped-for and almost infallible day of nuptials. I say almost infallible only as regards the certainty of being some day or other married, if she lived, as none are allowed to pass over their twenty-second year without being espoused. Life and death are of course matters of as great uncertainty amongst the Bedouins as amongst any other people, perhaps more so; but if young people live to twenty and upwards, they are sure of never dying bachelors or old maids. These nuptial carpets occupied the whole resources and skill of a Bedouin girl during her leisure hours; and though many could only find time to accomplish barely a square inch a day, they were usually completed ere the propitious hour arrived, and evinced to a greater or less extent the skill and the competency of the girl whose handy-work the rug chanced to be. No people I believe in the world, since the days of the ancient Syrian dyers, possess the secret of producing such excellent and durable colours as these Bedouins-their greens, yellows, and purples are particularly excellent, and no inducement can prevail upon them to part with the secret of their art.

Besides the great taste displayed in mingling and arranging the colours, I was surprised at the elegant method by which these brunettes entwined peacock and other bright feathers into their carpet-work, so as to represent gems of every hue, brilliantly set in fanciful borderings. The length of these carpets varied according to the means and expectations of the damsels employed upon them. Mine host's daughter had accomplished one that was fully twelve feet square, and pre-eminently strong and beautiful. Whatever may be their future fate in life, however depressed by misfortune and roughshod by poverty, the Bedouin will sell everything, even his own children, before he will part with this nuptial carpet or rug, which is held in special veneration amongst them, and superstitiously supposed to be possessed of certain charms with which it is periodically invested at stated seasons of the year. So long as it is retained, the Bedouin's heart, however oppressed by disease, by famine, by thirst-great family affliction-or other calamity, will retain hope; but when that has been forced from him, he may wrap his sheepskin closer around him, and resign

himself to his fate; for in his opinion, what is termed good luck in this world has taken his hat and wished him good morning for ever and a day.

Whilst I was reflecting over the many incidents of future life, the joy and sorrow wrapped up in the last-finished rug which mine host's daughter had proudly shown me and carefully stowed away again, the distant sound of music and revelry burst upon our ears, and old and young all hurried forward to the judgment-seat of the sheik, under the umbrageous old tree, there to ascertain what unknown cause had given rise to this sudden apparition of mirth. The music and the shouting was still distant, so was the occasional discharge of fire-arms: now and then a loud rap on the derbekey or drum, and a prolonged howl, spoke volumes to the auditors. "Take my word for it," said the sheik, "we shall hear something relative to the missing tent very soon now."-"I hope so," I fervently exclaimed, almost as fervently as you may be expected to exclaim, gentle reader; but then I had an interest at stake-a valuable double-barrelled pistol which was not to be replaced for any money in that country, besides having a score to rub off in the matter of my back, which now and then felt stiff from the rough treatment it had received during the previous night: byand-by there was a misty haze-a cloud of dust obscured the horizon; presently two or three horsemen emerged from it, and galloping towards us at full speed, suddenly jerked in their horses -wheeled round-fired off their guns in the air, and then galloped back again. This was the signal for the shebabeen (the young men) of our encampment to prepare for a day's festivities. Old musty fowling-pieces and matchlocks were loaded and primed. The sheik borrowed my Manton, and gave it to his son. Those that had horses sprung upon their backs: the others ran off with a wild huzza, whilst girls and boys were despatched in every direction to call in such of the villagers as could be spared from tending the flocks. Meanwhile the advancing procession was met by and exchanged a feu-de-joie with the natives of our encampment. The shouts grew louder and merrier, the concourse drew nigher to where we were seated, on the very tiptoe of expection; and when the thronging multitude dispersed a little, we could discern something carried high up in the air, and covered with wreaths of wildflowers and sheaves of wheat. This was immediately pronounced by the sheik to be the stolen tent, and as the crowd drew nearer, we could discern that it was held over the head of a gaily-dressed pedestrian, by some ten or a dozen equally-well-equipped horsemen.