“We are in the north-east trades,” observed Mr Hooker. “Little fear now, for another two weeks or so we shall have a fine run of it.”
Three day after this, a seaman from aloft shouted out, “Land ahead!”
“Ay, ay,” answered Mr Thudicumb, who had charge of the deck. “It is land that will not hurt us, though;” and he continued to let the ship run on in the course she had been steering.
Curious to know what had attracted the man’s attention, I went aloft, and there I saw spread out on the surface of the calm ocean, what looked like a dark field, but little raised, however, above the water. On returning on deck, I told the first officer that I really thought there must be land ahead.
“No, Walter, no fear of that,” answered Mr Thudicumb; “we are crossing the Sargasso Sea. You will observe that it is merely sea-weed and drift-wood collected in this spot from all parts of the ocean. The currents and winds bring it, but why this place is selected I do not exactly know. In a calm it might bother us, but we shall only pass through a small portion of it, and there is wind enough to send us along in spite of the obstruction it may offer. We must get a bucket ready, for Mr Hooker will be anxious to have some of it up on deck, that he may examine the creatures who live upon it. In the Pacific there is a collection of the same sort, and people who could not otherwise for want of fuel inhabit some of the islands in that region, are enabled to do so in consequence of the supply of drift-wood it brings them.”
The ship, soon clear of the Sargasso Sea, glided on proudly, with all sail set below and aloft. The weather was delightful; the passengers constantly on deck. Emily and Grace were very happy together, for everything was new and interesting. They had plenty of employment; for Mrs Davenport, knowing what a sea voyage is, had brought work of all sorts. And then they had books; and they were not above running about the deck, and playing at ball occasionally, and Les Graces, and other games suitable for ship-board.
Thus day after day passed pleasantly by: the sea sparkling, the sky bright, or occasionally mottled with light clouds. One morning, however, when they came on deck expecting to see the blue sky above their heads, they saw only a thick canopy of clouds. The sails were flapping against the masts; the air was oppressive. There the ship lay, her head moving now in one direction, now in another. Those who had before been full of life and spirits began to complain of lassitude and weariness. The seamen no longer moved actively about the decks, but went sauntering along when called upon to perform any duty. The heat grew greater and greater. The iron about the ship was unpleasant to touch. The pitch bubbled in the seams of the deck and stuck to the feet. Emily and Grace no longer wished to play at ball, or Les Graces, or any other game. Even Merlin went disconsolately up and down the decks, as if he thought something serious was going to happen. I felt as I had seldom felt before.
“Are we going to have a storm, sir?” I asked of the captain. “I have read that storms are apt to come on after weather such as we now have.”
“I do not expect one,” answered Captain Davenport, “though we may possibly have a squall of a few hours’ duration; and I should not be sorry for it, if it would carry us out of this region. We are now in the Doldrums.”
“Not a bad name, considering the condition of all us poor mortals on board,” observed Mr Hooker.