Western courier. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1837-06-15
Rirers

Mississippi g.
Amazons I52
When we reflect upon the immense
length of these rivers, and their origin,
we are naturally directed to the conten-
plation of the round which water travels;
and by which, without suffering aduItera-
ton or waste, it is continually offering it.
self to the wants of the habitable globe.
From the sea are exhaled those yapours
which form the clouds; these clouds de-
scend in refreshing showers of rain,
which sirSing deep into the earth, form
springs, and springs uniting, form rivers,
which rivers in return feed the ocean.
So there is an incessant circulation of the
same fluid; and not one drop probably
more or less now than there was at the
creation. In fact, /" look nature through,
tits revolution all;" wherever we turn
our eyes, all seems continually in state
of change or circulation. :. The suns"
saith Solomon, "ariseth, and the sun
goeth down, and pants for the place from
whence he arose; all rivers run into the
sea, yet the sea is not full; unto the place
from whence the rivers came, thither they
return again."
The sea is vast collection of waters
in the deep and unfathomable valleys of
the earth. This great abyss occupies
nearly three-quarters of the whole surface
of our globe; which has been thought by
some too great proportions; but it is pro-
bable no more than sufficient to fertilize
the land.
The sadness of the sea is property in
that element, which appears to have ex-
cited the curiosity of naturalits in all ages.
This property is very nationally judged to
arise from great mullitudes both Of mines
and mountains of salt, dispersed here and
there in the depths Of the sea; the salt
being continually diluted and dissolved by
the waters, the sea becomes impregnated
with its particles throughout; and, for
this reason, the saltness of the sea can
never be diminished.
The saltness of the sea presertes its
waters pure and sweet, which otherwise
would corruptand stink like filthy lake,
and consequently none of the myriads of
creatures which now live therein, could
then have being; from hence, also, the
sea water becomes much heavier; and
therefore ships of greater size and guam
tity may be used thereon. Salt water al
SO doth not freeze as soon as fresh wa
ter, whence the seas are more free for
NV CATION.
The most remarkable thing in the sea,
is that motion Of the water called tides.
1t is rising and falling of the water of
the sea. The cause of this is the attrac-
ton of the moon, whereby the part of the
water in the great ocean, which is the
nearest the moon, being most strongly
attracted, is raised higher than the rest;
and the part opposite to it, on the contra
ry side, being least attracted, is also
higher than the rest. And these two OPP
posite rises of the surface of the water in
the great ocean, following the motion of
the moon from east to west, and striking
against the large coasts of the continents
that lie in its way, from thence rebounds
back again.. and so makes foods and GIBBS
in narrow seas, and rivers remote from
the great ocean,.
AS the earth, by its daily rotation round
its axis, goes from the moon to the
moon again, (or the moon appears to
move round the earth from giyenmerid-
ian to the same again, in about twenty
four hours, hence in that period there are
! two tides of flood, and two of cbb, and