We sighted the coast of Madagascar about Fort Dauphin, but at a distance of nearly fifty miles, so that our view of it was not very distinct. But it is always a pleasure to a sailor to see land, and a great relief after many days of wearisome, changing, wave scenery to let the eye rest upon the everlasting hills. The mountains symbolize stability and unchangeableness, and as the aspirations of the heart are ever towards those things most in contrast with present experience, so the sailor's life of unrest and variableness disposes his dream of happiness to be one of enduring repose. This idea the land as contrasted with water expresses to his mind. A thrilling sensation always accompanies the sound of "Land, ho!" and longing glances are directed to the faintest loom of land in the horizon. Our easterly winds continued and took us to the coast of Africa, which we sighted about Algoa Bay. Then the wind became light and variable and with smooth water we sailed slowly along in sight of the land for four days. One evening we sighted the light on Cape Agulhas, the south-east point of Africa, and with the wind freshening at N.N.E. soon ran it out of sight on the starboard quarter. Before this breeze sprang up we were in company with a large ship showing Dutch colors. She sailed alongside of us for a considerable time, then slowly gained ahead, crossed our bow and in a few minutes disappeared from sight, though the twilight gave a long range to the vision. Many were the conjectures about her, and some of our crew will always believe they saw the veritable "Flying Dutchman," the phantom ship that is supposed to cruise off the Cape of Good Hope. The legend concerning her, as many will remember, is, that a Dutch captain, who had encountered very severe gales, was advised to put the ship back to a port of distress, but swearing a terrible oath he declared he would beat around the Cape if it took him till the Day of Judgment. In punishment for his sin he is doomed to battle with the elements until that day, and his battered hulk, with threadbare sails and skeleton crew haunts the southern sea. At eight in the evening we passed another ship bound the same way, but under close-reefed topsails, whereas we had the royals set. We hailed her and found she was the "Meteor" from Batavia, but whither she was bound, or where she hailed from, we failed to learn, for we went by her so fast there was no time for further questions. "What can she be doing under that sail?" asked the mate. "O, she has got a prudent captain," I replied. "The barometer has been down low for the last two days and no doubt there is a gale of wind coming on. I can't take in sail though in this country, with a fair wind blowing, until I see the breeze coming. Every mile here is precious and as long as there is a chance to gain ahead we must use it. But you must keep your eyes peeled to-night for nor'west squalls."