The fact that electricity passes most readily from elevated points, renders the ship the scene of the most beautiful of the more common electric phenomena. Any one who has visited an electric plant knows how sparks and flashes of light accumulate on the brushes; and a similar spectacle may at times be seen on the wires of electric lights at night. So at sea during cloudy weather, the yards, masts, spars and other more prominent points often glow with pale lambent flames, of greenish or bluish tint. One who clambers up to them may find upon near approach that they almost disappear; while to one a short distance away they are as distinct as ever. A hand plunged into the flame glows with the same spectral light. This phenomenon is popularly known among sailors as “St. Elmo’s fire;” but there is much difference of opinion as to what it may forebode. Some sailors believe the ghost of a dead comrade is accompanying the ship. Others consider that St. Elmo has taken the ship under his protection. A more common, and the rational view, is thus given by Longfellow: “Last night I saw St. Elmo’s stars With their glimmering lanterns, all at play, On the tops of the masts, and the tips of the spars, And I knew we should have foul weather to-day. Cheerily, my hearties!--yo-heave-oh! Brail up the mainsail and let her go, As the winds will, and St. Antonio.” This phenomenon has been noticed from the earliest times. Shakespeare wrote three centuries ago, in “The Tempest:” _Prospero._--“Hast thou, spirit, Performed, to point the tempest that I bid thee?” _Ariel._--“To every article. I boarded the King’s ship: now on the beak, Now in the waist, the deck, in every cabin, I flamed amazement: sometimes I’d divide, And burn in many places: on the topmast, The yards and bowsprit would I flame distinctly; Then meet and join.” When Lysander was about to set sail from Lampsacus to attack the Athenian fleet, “Castor and Pollux” appeared upon each side of the Lacedemonian admiral’s vessel, greatly encouraging him. Such were the names of the strange lights among the ancients: and ever and anon we find record of their appearance.