The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-12-24
ON THE LUMINOUSNESS OF THE
OCEAN.

The luminousness of the ocean is one of
the most beautiful phenomena of nature,
which excites surprise, although for months
together, it may be seen every night. The
sea is phosphorescent in all ATTITUDES; but
he who has not witnessed this phenomenon
in the torrid zone, and especially in the Pa
clhc Ocean, can form but an imperfect idea
of the magnifcence of such a spectacle.
When vessel of war, impelled by a fresh
stationed near the rsnrouus, Ire cadrfe'e~ 30
satisfied with viewing the beautiful phe
nomenon which presents itself. Every time
that the side of the ship, as she rolls, emer-
ges from the water, flashes of reddish light
seem to issue from the keel, and dart to-
wards the surface of the sea. LIE Gentil
and the elder Forster explained the appear
ance of these flashes by the electrical fIic-
ton of the water against the body of the
advancing ship. But in the present state of
our knowledge, this explanation is no longer
admissible.
There are few points of natural history
respecting which there have been so many
! disputes as the light emitted by the waters
of the ocean. What we know with precis-
ion on the subject, reduces itself to the fol-
| lowing facts. There are various shining
mollusca, which, during their life, emit at
pleasure a rather weak phosphoric light.
generally of a blush color. Of this number
are also the microscopic animals, which
have not as yet been determined, and which
Forster saw swimming in the sea in innu-
merable multitudes, near the Cape of Good
Hope. The luminousness of sea water is
sometimes occasloned by these living Ian
terms. say sometimes; for, in most cases,
notwithstanding the use of magnitylng
! glasses, no animal is perceived in lumin0us
water and yet, whenever the wave hap
pens to strike hard body and breaks, pro-
ducing foam. and whenever the water is
strongly agitated, light is produced re-
sembiing flash of lightning. This phe-
nomenon probably originates from the de-
composed fibrils of dead mollusca which ex.
list in infinite quantity in the depths OF the
sea- When this luminous water Is passed
through piece of dense cloth, these fbril'
are sometimes detached from it under the
form of luminous points. When we bathev
in the evening in the Gulph of Cariaco
near Cumana, some parts of our bodies re
manned luminous on coming out OF the wa
ter. The luminous fibres stuck to the skin
From the immense quantity of mollusca dis
persed through all the seas of the torrlC
zone, it need not be surprising that thu
, water of the sea is luminous, even when NJ
organic matter can be separated from II
The infinite division OF all the dead bodle
!, of dagyses and medusG may render the en-
tire sea capable of being considered as
gelatinous fluid, and which is in conse
quence luminous, has nauseous taste, can
/, not be drunk by man, but affords nourish
ment to many fishes. If a board BE rubbe
with part of the body of the medus@ by
socella, the place rubbed becomes lumir
Gus whenever the finger, well dried, is pas;
3 ed over it. During my passage to Sout
3 America, sometimes put medusn on
tin plate. If struck the plate with anotf
: err metal, the smallest vibration of the ii
8 were sufficient to make the animal shine
/ How did the blow and the vibration act
this case ? Was the temperature instantS
! neously raised Were new surfaces unco'
cred, or did the blow make the phosphure
e ted hydrogen gas escape, so that, coming II
: to contact with the oxygen of the atmo
phere, or with the water fthe sea, it produ'
r ed combustion? This effect Of the bio
i which excites the light is particularly stril
/ ing in jumbling sea, when the waves das
against each other in all directions. b
n tween the tropics have seen the sea i
n minous, at all temperatures; but 1t w