on. Soon ranging up by his flank, Stubb, firmly planting his knee in the clumsy cleat, darted dart after dart into the flying fish; at the word of command the boat alternately sterning out of the way of the whale's horrible wallow, and then ranging up for another fling.

The red tide now poured from all sides of the monster like brooks down a hill. His tormented body rolled not in brine but in blood, which bubbled and seethed for furlongs behind in their wake. The slanting sun playing upon this crimson pond in the sea sent back its reflection into every face, so that they all glowed to each other like red men. And all the while, jet after jet of white smoke was agonizingly shot from the spiracle of the whale, and vehement puff after puff from the mouth of the excited headsman; as at every dart, hauling in upon his crooked lance (by the line attached to it), Stubb straightened it again and again, by a few rapid blows against the gunwale, then again and again sent it into the whale.

“Pull up—pull up!" he now cried to the bowsman, as the waning whale relaxed in his wrath. "Pull up!-close to!" and the boat ranged along the fish's flank. Then, reaching far over the bow, Stubb slowly churned his long, sharp lance into the fish, and kept it there, carefully churning and churning, as if cautiously seeking to feel after some gold watch that the whale might have swallowed, and which he was fearful of breaking ere he could hook it out. But that gold watch he sought was the innermost life of the fish. And now it is struck; for, starting from his trance into that unspeakable thing called his "flurry," the monster horribly wallowed in his blood, overwrapped himself in impenetrable, mad, boiling spray, so that the imperilled craft, instantly dropping astern, had much ado blindly to struggle out from that frenzied twilight into the clear air of the day.

And now, abating in his flurry, the whale once more rolled out into view; surging from side to side; spasmodically dilating and contracting his spout-hole, with sharp, cracking, agonized respirations. At last, gush after gush of clotted red gore, as if it had been the purple lees of red wine, shot into the frighted air, and, falling back again, ran dripping down his motionless flanks into the sea. His heart had burst!

"He's dead, Mr. Stubb," said Daggoo.

"Yes; both pipes smoked out!" and, withdrawing his own from his mouth, Stubb scattered the dead ashes over the water, and for a moment stood thoughtfully eying the vast corpse he had made.

GERMAN IDEAS ABOUT AMERICA.

J. R. BROWNE.

[One of the most amusing and entertaining of American writers of travel is John Ross Browne, said to have been born in Ireland in 1817, but whose life was spent in the United States, with the exception of his intervals of travel. His journeys covered a considerable portion of the earth's surface, one of the earliest being a whalingvoyage, which is described in his "Etchings of a Whaling Cruise," a work containing much valuable information about the whaling industry. A subsequent journey to Palestine is humorously described in his "Yusef; or, The Journey of a Frangi." Other works are "Crusoe's Island," "The Land of Thor," and "An American Family in Germany," from which last we make an amusing selection. He died in 1875.]

THE crude ideas respecting the United States entertained in this country, even by persons otherwise intelligent, are sometimes very amusing. One would suppose that the

constant transmission of letters from emigrants to their relatives would result in a more perfect understanding of our country and its institutions. In the principal cities usually visited by Americans this peculiarity is perhaps. not so striking, but throughout the more unenlightened parts of Germany the simplicity of the people on the subject of "America"-as they call the United States-is quite surprising.

Within three or four miles of Frankfort are villages and districts as far behind the age in point of civilization, and apparently as primitive in all respects, as if the city of Frankfort were distant a thousand miles, or never visited. I will not undertake to say, as some of the American correspondents of the Atlantic papers often do in detailing their experience in Europe, that Americans are supposed to be a race of Indians; but this much is true, that they are supposed to be a very uncivilized race of white men. Those who appear on this side of the water are most generally taken for English, because they speak that language; and when it is discovered that they are Americans, it is always a matter of surprise that they are so docile, and many of them even partially civilized. The Germans prefer the Americans to the English. The latter are considered self-sufficient, stingy, disagreeable, and unmannerly; while the free-and-easy way of the Americans —their prodigal disregard of money, their readiness to adopt the civilized habits of the country and make themselves at home wherever they go-pleases the worthy Germans amazingly. They are always disposed to be kind and sociable to Americans; will go out of their way or take any amount of trouble to make them enjoy their visit, and evidently have some hope that, in the course of time, those savage traits of character derived from long experience of savage life and want of culture in civilized

society will disappear, and the Americans become as polished a race as the Germans. They consider that the constant emigration from Germany to the United States has produced a sensible difference in this respect within the past ten years; and if it continues for ten years more, there can be no doubt, in their opinion, almost every trace of barbarism will have disappeared. By that time, it is confidently expected, Sunday afternoon recreations will be introduced; gentlemen will take off their hats to one another in the streets, and quit chewing tobacco; lagerbeer saloons will become places of general resort; conductors of railroads, clerks in public office, and family servants will wear some honorable badge of distinction; children will not be allowed to dress like butterflies, and women generally will understand their position, and get out of the way when distinguished officers and civilians. pass along the streets; wives will show proper deference to their husbands, sit up for them of nights when they go to clubs, and not depend upon them as escorts to theatres and other public places; old ladies will wear silks, satins, flashy ribbons, and filigree appropriate to their advanced age, and young ladies will modestly content themselves. with pudding-bowl hats, black worsted stockings, and dingy-colored dresses. Music, too, will be cultivated; public gardens will be established, where one can pass a social evening of a Sunday, and where respectable families can drink their beer, while pretty young girls and innocent little children swear "Ach Gott!" and "Gott in Himmel!" upon every trivial occasion, without exciting vulgar comment. Housekeepers will abolish carpets and scrub their floors once a day, instead of saving all the dirt to be breathed by themselves and their visitors; big houses will be built, and families will live sweetly together like Christians, and not isolate themselves like selfish heathens.

In

When people talk to one another, they will use becoming signs and gestures, shrug their shoulders at proper intervals, and express themselves with some enthusiasm by shouting out what they have to say, so that it can be heard at the reasonable distance of half a mile. Instead of wearing out their bodies and souls at the counting-house or in the political arena, grave and sensible men will take a promenade in the open air every afternoon, with a brood of little poodles running after them, and ladies will hire numerous servants to take care of their children, and pay proper attention themselves to their own lapdogs. stead of imposing the heavy labors of the field and public highway upon men, who have the right to choose their own occupation, these unpleasant duties will be performed by able-bodied women, assisted by cows. The best bloodhorses will be used for soldiers and gentlemen to ride upon, and women, aided by small dogs, will pull the carts containing milk and vegetables to market; and all heavy burdens, such as geese, pigs, apples, and the like, will be carried on their heads in large baskets. Should a man be too lazy to walk up a hill, he will get into a wheelbarrow and smoke his meerschaum comfortably while his good wife wheels him over the hill.

These improvements in our customs will entitle us to rank with Germany in point of civilization, and it affords me great satisfaction to find that sanguine hopes are entertained of our capacity for refinement. Great allowance should be made for our uncouth manners and ignorance of the polite usages of society. Living among negroes and Indians, constantly quarrelling about elections, compelled to defend our individual rights with pistols and bowieknives, surrounded by deserts and mountains, almost out of the world, as it were, in a new and but partially-explored country, it is remarkable that we are even far