gation was his hobby - the only subject | on which he was always willing to discourse when he had been asked a question about it, and this Mr. Mompesson had rashly done.

He happened to be saying that it was a very common thing to load a vessel so that her keel was lower abaft. Mr. Mompesson looked as if he did not know what this information meant; no more did I, but, bent on releasing him, I boldly asked my uncle why?

He looked both surprised and gratified, and no doubt thought I had been an intelligent listener to the previous remarks; so he proceeded to tell me that this mode of loading, by raising part of the bow out of the water, diminished the gripe of the ship forward.

Tom and Mr. Mompesson were now talking together, and as I did not in the least understand what he meant by gripe, I only answered, "Oh," as if satisfied; but he would go on, explaining that thus it improved her steerage.

"I will give you a reason," he continued, "for trimming a ship more by the stern: suppose she carries too much weather helm, that is, she comes up to the wind too much; in such a case you put more weights aft."

I had a very hazy notion of what he meant, but no doubt he thought he was making his meaning plain, for he presently went on to tell me that thus by making the bows lighter, the headsails had increased power of keeping her off the wind; "also as I might easily see, it diminished the strain on the rudder."

Easily see it, indeed! I saw nothing of the kind.

"What is a headsail?" I next` asked; and Uncle Rollin and Brand, who was waiting at table, both looked at me with surprise. Tom, however, came to the rescue by saying, "We call all sails hoisted on the bowspirit headsails." Tom and Mr. Mompesson then began to talk again but Uncle Rollin sat gravely silent, and I am afraid matters were made worse by my exclaiming, with ill-timed exultation, Well, I now know something." "Little enough," he answered gruffly, and almost with a surly tone.

It was especially unlucky for me that this sea talk should have come up during the first days of my sojourn on board; for, as a rule, they did not indulge in it, and I have often been on board when for a week together I should hardly have known by their conversation that we were not on shore.

After this bad beginning, however, I said that if he pleased I should be very glad to learn something about the uses of different sails, and, in short, to learn something of the elements of navigation; whereupon his brow cleared, and he replied that he thought it highly desirable. Still I could see that either my ignorance or my apparent curiosity had offended him, and he did not quite recover his good humour while I stayed at the table, which was not long after the cloth was withdrawn.

It was such a lovely evening that I put on my hat and took my work-box on deck with me. I had not been sitting there long when Uncle Rollin came and stood before me. It was about six o'clock, and the tide was coming in.

"If you are so fond of navigation," he observed, rather gruffly, "it is a strange thing that you did not learn something of it at school. I never denied you masters for anything you had a fancy for."

I was certain that he would find out the truth if I did not forthwith tell it, so no particular courage was displayed in my reply

"I am not at all fond of navigation. I can't bear it."

case I should not mind instructing you. I taught Tom a very apt scholar he was; it seemed no trouble to him, and I daresay you will learn as well as he did, for you are quite as queer."

"Am I queer? do you really think so, uncle?"

"Yes, really and truly, I think you are the queerest little girl I ever saw; but you need not look so grave, for you don't care about it."

"Yes, I care a little."

"But you are very well dressed to-day. I should like to see you always well dressed. Nonsense, child! never mind what I said."

"I don't mind your thinking me queer, uncle, because you care for me."

"Oh, I do, do I?"

"Of course; we agreed about that yesterday. But it will be very awkward for me if people think so who do not like me." "What will happen then?"

"Oh, I suppose they will not wish for my acquaintance; not choose to talk to me; overlook me, and forget me."

talk thus to me. I thought to myself that if a character in a book, which had been drawn like my former notions of him, had suddenly been made to utter the above thoughts I should have considered the said book to be out of keeping, and false to nature; for nothing was more surprising to me than to perceive that he speculated on human character, and noticed the effect of different peculiarities.

I did not see Mr. Mompesson again till it was nearly dusk, when he came on deck with Tom, and began, as I had hoped he would, to talk of old times.

66

But, alas! we were to sail at high tide, which was shortly after eight o'clock. We had scarcely got under weigh when I began to feel ill, and when we reached the 'rolling ground," I was obliged to go below, and lie down in my berth. Mrs. Brand was sure I should be much better on deck, but I instinctively hid myself and my miseries lest this sickness should interfere with my prospects and induce my uncle and brother to send me ashore again.

Uncle Rollin had seemed amused and We were to put Mr. Mompesson on pleased during our discourse; once or shore at Lulworth cove, and after that we twice he had laughed, and though it was at were bound for the west coast of Ireland. me, I liked it there was something cordial If the weather promised well we should in it, and he said I was queer in a way not leave the yacht, Mrs. Brand told me; which showed that quality to be what he but if not, we should land, make the jourliked in me. But to this last remark heney through England, crossing to Dublin made a reply which was so different from anything I should have expected of him, that I could hardly believe what I heard.

You are very much mistaken," were his words; "there are some little women that are insignificant, and nobody takes the least notice of them. They are not big enough to be handsome; they are not witty nor clever, and so they get overlooked. Nobody falls in love with them, and nobody dislikes them. That sort of thing won't happen to you, because, as I tell you, you are a queer little girl to talk to. You say different things from other people, and you say them in an odd kind of way. You will not be overlooked, child, but always either loved or disliked. I don't consider you near so plain as Tom, though rather like him about the eyes and eyebrows."

Then my uncle ceased, and I was so much surprised, not so much at what he said, as at his saying it, that I had no answer ready, and kept reflecting on the singular way in which I had been mistaken about him. I wondered whether he ever at long intervals made such speeches to other people, and whether he would often

and going through Ireland at our leisure, while a man, who was called the captain of the yacht, brought her round to Valencia.

Then I hope it will blow a gale," I said, for I sorely longed to land.

"No, ma'am," she answered, "the best thing will be to get used to wind and rough weather; at least, if you wish to sail with Mr. Graham."

So I endured as well as I could, and was right glad when we reached our destination, but I only got on deck a few minutes before Mr. Mompesson landed.

"Is the weather likely to be fine?" I asked.

"Yes," was the reply, "splendid."

I could not forbear a sigh; but, on the other hand, it was a consolation to know that after our cruise on the west coast of Ireland, the Mompessons with all the children were to come on board for a month. They were all good sailors, and were to have my cabin, which was already fitted up for them with six berths. I was to have a pretty little state-room, and I thought I should surely be well by that time and enjoy their company.

From The Cornhill Magazine.
A VOYAGE TO THE SUN.

66

found considerable inconvenience from the loaded state of the lower atmospheric strata. Although we were no longer subject to any physical inconveniences (indeed, our enterprise would otherwise have been impracticable), and although our powers of perception were greatly enbanced, yet the very circumstances which enabled us to exercise powers corresponding to those of the common senses, rendered the veil of mist and fog which surrounded us on all sides, as impenetrable to our vision (to use this word for want of a better) as to the eyesight of the Lon

doner.

Presently, however, we rose into a purer atmosphere. The sun, the end and aim of our journey, was seen in a clear sky, while below us the vast mass of cloud and fog which hung over London appeared like a wide sea, shining brilliantly under the sun's rays and effectually concealing the great city from our view.

[ALTHOUGH the following narrative is related in the first person, it is not to be understood that the account was actually written by the voyager. The writer of these introductory lines does not deem it desirable to particularize the manner in which this account has reached him For the present, at least, he prefers to leave the reader to guess whether (like Cardan) the voyager who is responsible for the principal facts, saw, in a vision, what is here described; or whether, the interiors of the spirit" were "opened in him," as chanced to Swedenborg, so that he could "converse with spirits, not only those near our earth, but with those also who are near other orbs; " or whether, like the author of the " Neue Reisen in den Mond, in die Sonne, &c.," he obtained his information through the agency of clairvoyance; or, lastly, whether spiritualistic communications from departed astronomers are here in question. According to the ideas which the readers of these lines may severally entertain respecting the manner in which such facts as are here described moment becoming more so, as we reached Our flight was now very rapid, and each may have come to our knowledge, they will doubtless decide for themselves among these rarer and rarer regions of the upper air. explanations, and others which may, for aught We noticed that the noise and hubbub of we know, be available. Nay, there may even London seemed rapidly to subside into be some who may be disposed to regard the what appeared to us at the time as alwhole of what follows as a mere effort of imagi- most perfect stillness. And in passing I nation. For our own part we must be content may confirm what Glaisher has said reto present, without comment or explanation, the specting the voices which are heard to the information which has reached us; there are, greatest distance. For the shrill tones indeed, some circumstances in the account which of women and children were heard from we could not explain if we would. It will be time to time, when the loudest tones of noticed that from time to time the narrator re- the male voice were altogether beyond fers to explanatory communications having our hearing. The sounds which we heard reference to the real nature of the voyage. latest of all, however, were the occasional These communications belong to the details which we do not desire to enter upon at pre-expectedly) a peculiarly shrill note proshrieks of railway-whistles, and (quite un

sent.]

Our voyage commenced shortly before noon on January 9, of the year 1872. As we started from the central part of London -or, to be more particular, from the rooms of the Astronomical Society in Somerset House, our course was directed, in the first instance, towards a part of the sky lying southwards, and some sixteen degrees above the horizon. From what I have already told you, you will understand that the earth's attraction did not in the least interfere with our progress. But atmospheric resistance was not altogether so imperceptible; and from time to time, notwithstanding our familiarity with all the astronomical details of our journey, and X.'s special mastery of the laws to which we were to trust, we

duced by the beating of the sea-waves on the shore, which I do not remember to have observed under other circumstances. We noticed this as our onward course car ried us past (though far above) the waters of the British Channel.

I forbear to speak of the aspect presented by the earth as our distance gradually increased; though, for my own part, my attention (at this part of our progress) was directed far more closely to the planet we were leaving than to the orb which we proposed to visit. X., on the other hand, absorbed (as you will readily believe) in the anticipation of the revelations abour to be made respecting the sun, directed his sole attention to the contemplation of that luminary. Y., who accompanied us (as I have already informed you), rather en amateur that because of any profound interest which he takes in scientific investigations, appeared to be too much per

new.

state of intense electrical disturbance, since the illumination of the solar atmosphere above and around these zones appeared not only brighter than elsewhere, but was here subject also to continual changes of brightness. These changes, viewed from our great distance, did not, indeed, seem very rapid, yet, remembering the real vastness of the atmospheric regions, it was impossible not to recognize the fact that they implied the most intense activity in the solar regions beneath.

His orb was more brilliantly white than it appears when seen through the air, but a close scrutiny revealed a diminution of brilliancy towards the edge of his disc, which, when fully recognized, presented him at once as the globe he really is. On this globe we could already distinguish the spots and those bright streaks which astronomers call facule. But it was not the aspect of his globe which attracted our wondering attention. We saw that globe surrounded with the most amazingly complex halo of glory. It was clear, even at the great distance Close around the bright whiteness of the at which we still were, that the solar atdisc, - and shining far more beautiful, by mosphere extends far above the loftiest of contrast with that whiteness, than as seen the coloured prominences. We could not against the black disc of the moon in total yet distinguish the actual boundary of the eclipses, stood the coloured region called atmosphere, though we entertained little the chromosphere; not red, as we had ex- question, after what we had discovered in pected to see it, but gleaming with a the case of the earth's atmosphere, that a mixed lustre of pink and green, through real boundary exists to the gaseous enwhich, from time to time, passed the most velope surrounding the sun. But we could startlingly brilliant coruscations of orange perceive that a brightly luminous envelope and golden yellow light. Above this deli-extended to about twice the height of any cate circle of colour towered three tall prominence visible at the moment, and prominences and upwards of thirty small- that the solar atmosphere extends and reer ones. These, like the chromosphere, mains luminous to a far greater_height were not red, but beautifully variegated. than this more brilliant region. But the We observed, however, that in parts of most amazing circumstance of all was this, the prominences colours appeared which were not seen in the chromospheremore particularly certain blue and purple points of light, which were charmingly contrasted with the orange and yellow the most complex sprays and streams and flashes continually passing along the whole length of even the loftiest of these amazing objects. It was, however, worthy of notice that the prominences round different parts of the sun's orb presented very different appearances; for those near the sun's equatorial zone and opposite his polar regions differed very little in their colour and degree of light from the chromosphere. They also presented shapes reminding us rather of clouds moving in a perturbed atmosphere, than of those tremendous processes of disturbance which astronomers have lately shown to be in progress in the sun. But opposite the spot zones, which were already unmistakably recognizable, the prominences presented a totally different appearance. They resembled jets of molten matter, intensely bright, and seemingly moving with immense velocity. One or two formed and vanished with amazing rapidity, as when in terrestrial conflagrations a flame leaps suddenly to a great height and presently disappears. Indeed, the whole extent of the two spot zones, so far as we could judge from our view of the region outside the bright solar disc, seemed to be in a

that above even the faintest signs of an atmosphere, as well as through and amidst both the inner bright envelope and the fainter light surrounding it, there were

filaments of whitish light, here appearing as streamers, elsewhere as a network of bright streaks, and yet elsewhere clustered into aggregations, which I can compare to nothing so fitly (though the comparison may seem commonplace) as to hanks of glittering thread. All these streaks and sprays of light appeared to be perfectly white, and they only differed among themselves in this respect, that, whereas some appeared like fine streaks of a uniform silvery lustre, others seemed to shine with a curdled light. The faint light outside the glowing atmosphere surrounding the prominences was also whitish; but the glowing atmosphere itself shone with a light resembling that of the chromosphere, only not so brilliant. The pink and green lustre, continually shifting, as it appeared to us, so that a region which had appeared pink at one time, would shine a short time after with a greenish light, caused us to compare the appearance of this bright region to that of mother-ofpearl. I suppose that, at a moderate computation, this glowing envelope must extend to a height of about a quarter of a million of miles from the sun; while from