latter; and from that moment nobody was
surprised at anything he might choose to do,
even while the Hibernia was labouring in
what the mate was pleased to call the most
"lively" manner. The Professor, however,
to the disgust of the sufferers below, who
thought it was enough to feel the height
of the waves, without going to the trouble of
measuring them, pursued his observations in
the face of the contempt of the official conclave
above mentioned. He took up his position
on the cuddy-roof, which was exactly twenty-
three feet three inches above the ship's
line of flotation, and there watched the
mighty mountains that sported with the
brave vessel. He was anxious to ascertain
the height of these majestic waves, but he
found that the crests rose so far above the
horizon from the point where he was standing,
that it was utterly impossible, without gaining
a greater height for observation, that he
could arrive at any just estimate on the
subject. His observations from the cuddy-roof
proved, however, beyond a doubt, that the
majority of these rolling masses of water
attained a height of considerably more than
twenty-four feet, measuring from the trough of
the sea to the crests of the waves. But the
Professor was not satisfied with this negative
proof; and in the pursuit of his interesting
inquiry, did not feel inclined to be baffled. It
is impossible to know what the secret thoughts
of the men at the wheel were, when the
valiant observer announced his intention of
making the best of his way from the cuddy-
roof to the larboard paddle-box. Now he was
to be seen tumbling about with the motion of
the ship; at one moment clinging to a chain-
box; at the next, throwing himself into the
arms of the second mate. Now he is buried
in spray, and a few minutes afterwards his
spare form is seen clinging to the rails which
connect the paddle-boxes.

Despite the storm without, a calm
mathematical process is going on within the mind
of that ardent observer. The Professor knew
he was standing at a height of twenty-four
feet nine inches above the flotation mark of
the ship; and allowing five feet six inches
as the height of his eye, he found the elevation
he had obtained to be altogether thirty
feet three inches. He now waited till the
vessel subsided fairly for a few minutes into
the trough of the sea in an even and upright
position, while the nearest approaching wave
had its maximum altitude. Here he found
also, that at least one-half part of the wave
intercepted by a considerable elevation his
view of the horizon. He declared that he
frequently observed long ranges extending
one hundred yards on one or both sides of the
ship—the sea then coming right aft—which
rose so high above the visible horizon, as to
form an angle estimated at two to three de-
grees when the distance of the wave's crest
was about a hundred yards off. This distance
would add about thirteen feet to the level of
the eye. This immense elevation occurred
about every sixth wave. Now and then, when
the course of a gigantic wave was impertinently
interfered with by another liquid giant,
and they thundered together, their breaking
crests would shoot upward at least ten or
fifteen feet higher—about half the height of
the monument—and then pour down a mighty
flood upon the poor Professor in revenge for
his attempt to measure their majesties. No
quantity of salt water, however, could wash
him from his post, till he had satisfactorily
proved, by accurate observation, that the
average wave which passed the vessel was
fully equal to the height of his eye—or thirty
feet three inches—and that the mean highest
waves, not including the fighting or broken
waves, were about forty-three feet above the
level of the hollow occupied at the moment
by the ship.

Satisfied at length of the truth of his observations,
the Professor, half-pickled by the salt
water, and looking, it must be confessed, very
cold and miserable, descended to the cabin.
Throughout dinner-time a conversation was
kept up between the Professor and the
Captain—the latter appearing to be about the only
individual on board who took any interest
whatever in these scientific proceedings. The
ladies, one and all, vowed that the Professor
was a monster, only doing "all this stuff" in
mockery of their sufferings. Towards night
the wind increased to a hurricane; the ship
trembled like a frightened child before the
terrible combat of the elements. Night, with
her pall, closed in the scene:—it was a wild
and solemn time. Towards morning the wind
abated. For thirty hours a violent north
west gale had swept over the heaving bosom
of the broad Atlantic.

This reflection hastened the dressing and
breakfasting operations of the Professor, who
tumbled up on deck at about ten o'clock in
the morning. The storm had been subdued
for several hours, and there was a visible
decrease in the height of the waves. He
took up his old position on the cuddy-roof,
and soon observed, that, even then, when the
sea was comparatively quiet, ten waves over-
took the vessel in succession, which all rose
above the apparent horizon; consequently
they must have been more than twenty-three
feet—probably about twenty-six feet from
ridge to hollow. From the larboard paddle-
box, to which the Professor once more scrambled,
he observed that occasionally four or
five waves in succession rose above the visible
horizon—hence they must have been more
than thirty feet waves. He also observed
that the waves no longer ran in long ridges,
but presented more the form of cones of
moderate elongation.

Having so far satisfied himself as to the
height of Atlantic waves in a gale of wind
(the Professor's estimate must not be taken
as the measurement of the highest known
waves, but simply as that of a rough Atlantic