It was a sight at once beautiful,
and almost terrific. Jack seriously inquired, if there was not a volcano
at the bottom of the sea; and I astonished him much by telling him, that
this light was caused by a kind of marine animals, which in form
resembled plants so much, that they were formerly considered such; but
naturalists and modern voyagers have entirely destroyed this error, and
furnished proofs that they are organized beings, having all the
spontaneous movements peculiar to animals. They feel when they are
touched, seek for food, seize and devour it; they are of various kinds
and colours, and are known under the general name of zoophytes.
"And this which glitters in such beautiful colours on the sea, is called
_pyrosoma_," said Ernest. "See, here are some I have caught in my hat;
you may see them move. How they change colour--orange, green, blue, like
the rainbow; and when you touch them, the flame appears still more
brilliant; now they are pale yellow."
They amused themselves some time with these bright and beautiful
creatures, which appear to have but a half-life. They occupied a large
space on the water, and their astonishing radiance, in the midst of the
darkness of the atmosphere, had such a striking and magnificent effect,
that for a few moments we were diverted from our own sad thoughts; but
an observation from Jack soon recalled them.
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