The tiny mariner here alluded to, is the Paper Nautilus, common in the Mediterranean and some tropical seas; its scientific name is Argonauta argo. In the mythology, we read that Argo was the name of a ship that carried a certain Grecian named Jason, and a crew of argives in search of adventures; some say that the term is derived from a Greek word signifying swift: this party of mariners, said to be the first that ever sailed upon the sea, was called Argonauts, or, as it might be freely translated, seamen of the ship Argo. Nauticus, in Latin, signifies anything relating to ships or navigation, and here you have the whole origin of the name of this little Argonaut, about which we must sing you a song written by Mary Howitt, before we proceed further:—
“Who was the first sailor; tell me who can;
Old father Neptune?—no, you’re wrong,
There was another ere Neptune began;
Who was he? tell me. Tightly and strong,
Over the waters he went—he went,
Over the waters he went!
Who was the first sailor? tell me who can;
Old father Noah!—no, you’re wrong,
There was another ere Noah began,