Delaware journal. [volume] (Wilmington [Del.]) 1827-1832, 1827-07-24
TUESDAY, Ja.ly "a, 1927.

have been diligently examined, and catalogues and
descriptions tell us the names and inform us of the
manners and habits of many of the tribes OF earth
and air. The waters equally populous have OF course
been less successfully explored. Of the monsters
who feed among the caves OF gambol in the deep,
we yet know but little. Occasionally some odd fish
presents himself to the observation of the sailor,
and the account given of its appearance is so strange
that we rank it with &c fish Stories" Although the
sea serpent has figured SO much in the water along
our Shores and in the disposition of those gentlemen
who saw the terrible glitter of his eyes through te-
escopes, we are still left in doubt whether it be
creature of real existence of imagination. The
diving bell has occasionally been employed in the
examination of shallow places to direct the abour OF
industry, but the boldness of adventure never has
descended to those depths where we should expect
to find the hauns OF monsters, and one OF the most
remarkable inventions of modern Improvement has
been effectual in recaiming the treasures OF human
wealth gathered during successive centuries to the
deep, or in discovering the gems and metals, the
spars and coras that adorn its cells Scientific inqu
ny has been busy in examining those animated beings
so infinitely varied in form and structure and so null
tplied to exceed the power of figures to number
floating on the surface. The following extract from
Scoresby, copied into the last American Quarterly
Review, shows the known myratls of the popula-
ton Of the sea, and may give some idea OF the pro-
oaDle extent.
"The number of medusa,' says Scoresby, :" in
the olive green sea was found to be immense. They
are about one fourth of an inch assunder. In this
proportion, cubic inch Of water must contain ga !;
cubic foot 10, 500 a cubic fathom 23,887, 872
and cubic mile about 23, 889, ZOO, 100000 600
From soundings made in the situation where these
animals were found, it is probable that the sea is
upwards ola mile in depth but whether these sub
stances occupy the whole depth is uncertain Pro
vided however the depths to which they extend be
but $50 fathoms, the above immense number of one
!. species may occur in space Of two miles square
1t may give better conception of the amount o
meduse in this extent, if we calculate the length o
time that would be requisite with certain numbe
persons for counting this number. Allowing tina
one person could count million in seven days
}, which is barely possible, it would have require
IL that so 600 persons should have started at the Gre
alton of the world, to complete the enumeration
J. the present time.
% What stupendous idea this fact gives of the in
mensity ofcreaon, and Of the bounty of Divine Pre-
e violence, in furnishing such prousion of life in
e region so remote from the habtations OF men 81
j. if the number of animals in the space of two mile
= square be so great, what must be the amount requ
site for the discoloraton of the through e,
s tent of perhaps twenty thirty thousand squaI
$ miles. Arctic Regions, p. 1870.