 The Floor of the Ocean has always been associated with strange legends and fantastic creatures. Most of these are, of course, mythical figures, but there is on record in a serious and scientific publication of the Danish Meteorological Society a description of a form so incredible that it staggers the imagination of man. A form which actually exists and was actually observed. The steamship Bintang was a merchant vessel belonging to the Danish East Asia Company. At three o'clock on the morning of June 10th, 1909, it was plowing its way through the calm waters of the Straits of Malacca. At 3.15, Captain Gabe, who had retired several hours before, was awakened from a sound sleep. One of the crew was pounding violently at his door. Well, what is it? Captain, captain, open the door, sir. Police! What is it, man? Good Lord, what's happened? By the dim rays of the lantern, the captain could see the expression on the sailor's face. He could see the pallor of his cheeks and the stark terror in his eyes. Well, answer me, man, what's happened? You'd better come up and see for yourself. It's a wheel, sir, on the water, or I should say, in it, and it is coming toward us. And if one spoke of it even so much as touches us, we will be smashed in a toss and pierces. On deck, Captain Gabe found the entire crew huddled at the rail on the starboard side. There was silence and motionless, frozen with fear. Then he crouched the arm of the sailor beside him and gasped. What in the name of heaven is that thing? As far as the eye could reach, the sea was illuminated. Illuminated by a great wheel of light that revolved slowly, just beneath the surface of the water. The fiery center of the wheel, though far out, was clearly visible. From it extended the spokes to which the sailor had referred. Arms so long that they stretched beyond the horizon on one side and came within 30 yards of the boat on the other. And as they turned on their axis, they moved closer and closer to the ship's keel. It's an optical illusion, men. There's no wheel out there at all. It must be the reflection of our own light. But they never heard of a reflection, stressing clear to the horizon. And I never saw one moving at a different speed and in a different direction from the thing that's being reflected. Well, that's true. Perhaps another ship somewhere. But the lookout reported five minutes ago that there ain't another ship around, sir. The captain and the crew stood staring at the monstrous mechanism, waiting for it to strike. And then, slowly, the light of the wheel grew dimmer. And the whole apparatus seemed gradually to sink deeper into the water. The ship glided smoothly and safely over the spot where it had been, and nothing remained as evidence that it had ever been seen. Submarine Voyager, some have suggested. A visitor from space has been the opinion of others, while most have simply accepted it as one of the many insoluble mysteries of the sea. A mystery. Incredible but true.