Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-11-05
SCENES ON THE OCEAN PLoos -p,,;,., ~.

SCENES ON THE OCEAN FLooR. Beside, tbs
countless varieties Of the fucus the bottom of
the sea is overgrown with the curIed. deem
purple leaves Of the ses-lettuce, with large
porous lichens, and many -branched hollow
algs, full Of life and motion in their rosy lit
tie bladders, thickly set with ever-moving
tiny arms.
These plants form submarine forests, grow
ing one into another, In apparently lasless
order; here interlscing their branches, there
forming bowers and long avenues; at one time
tnrving abundantly, till the thicket seems
lnpenetrable, and then again leaving large
openings between void and void, whore small
er plants form beautiful pink turf
There thousand hues and tingee shine and
gntter In each changing light. In the indul-
gence Of their luxurious growth, the fuel es-
pecially seem to crafty every whim and freak.
Creeping close TO the ground or sending long
stretched arms, crowned with waving plumes,
up to the blessed light Of heaven, they form
pale'greeR sea groves, where there is neither
moon nor star, or rise up nearer the surface,
to be transcendently rich and gorgeous In
brightest green, gold and purple.
And through this dream-like scene, playing
in all the colOrs Of the rainbow, and deep nm.
der the hollow briny ocean, Shere sail and
chase each other merrily gaily- painted null
lusks and bright shining faces. Snails of
every shape creep slowly along the stems,
while huge gray haired seals hang with their
enormous tusks Oh large, tall trees. There is
the gigantic dudong, the syren of the sncients,
the side-long shark with his lesden eyes, the
thicf-h haired sea leopard, and the sluggish
turtle. Look how these strange ill-shaped
forms, which ever keep their drsariless sleep
far down in the gloomy deep, stir themselves
from time to time. See how they drive each
other from their rich pastures, how they
awaken in storms, rising like islands from be-
meath, and snOrting through the angry spray.
Perhaps they Craze peacefully Ia the cool Of
the oceans deep beed, when 10 a hungry
shark comes silly, silently around that grove
its CLASSY eyes shOne ghost-like with yellow
sheen, and seek their prey.
The seadog first becomes aware Of the prog
Unity Of his dreaded enemy, and seeks refuge
in the thickest recesses Uf the fucus forest.
oyster closes its shell with a clap, and throws
itself into the deep below the turtle cOnceals
head and feet under her impenetrable armor,
and sinks slowly downward the playful little
fish disappear in the branches ef the marc
cystic Holsters hide under the thick, clum-
silly shapen roots, and the young wslrus alone
turns boldly round and faces the intruder with
his sharp-pointed teeth. The shark seeks 10
gain his unprotected side. The battle COM
mences, both seek the forest; their fms be-
come entangled in the sloseiy interviewer
branches at last the more agile shark sue.
ceeds in wounding his sdversarys side Dee-
pairing of life, the bleeding wairus tri.. TO
conceal his last agony in the woods, but,
blinded by pain and blood, he fastens himself
among the branches. and soon falls an easy
prey to the shark, who greedily devours him.
Patnan's Magazine.