Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-01-26
u ews Of the Day.
The Wonders sf the Sea.

$40 /
Science has done much in the Development
Of the resources of nature and the elucidation
Of the mysteries of the air, the earth and its
waters, long hidden from the prying c%uriosi
ty Of man yet it has just entered upon the
vestibule or o~uter-court Of Gods vast domin-
ions. But little is yet known of the great
treasure-house Of the earth itself, much less
Of the vast expanse above Us, or of the almost
unreasonable depths Of old ocean.
Who can look out upon the broad bosom
OF the ocean, without feeling emotions Of won
der and surprise, which no other object ex-
cites 50 readily /? It is here we have the idea
Of immensely mapped out before US, not SO
grandly as a survey Of the starry region in
spires, but equally surprising and wonderful.
Inc birds that move over it on t~ireless wing
the great ships and pondcrous steamers
which scud its waters as things of lifc--the
fishes, from the tiny skip to the great whale,
that shoot ike arrows through its waters.
the saline properties of so vast a basin, main-
tanned perpetually amid the torrents Of fresh
water which have poured into it from the
foundation Of the world, and more than all its
un~tathomable depths-its hidden occupants
IN those caverns never yet reached by lead
and line, all these and more, inspire the most
surprising wonder, and lead us to elevate our
thoughts higher, Of the grandeur, wisdom and
power Of that Almighty Being, who made the
seas and who holds them as in the hollow of
his hand.
Our wonder has been especially excited of
late By the Investigations Of science. Lieut..
Manry, Of worldwide reputation as 4 man of
science, il his lecture some time since on the
Atlantic Cable, remarks, that animal matter
depo i-el at the bottom Of the Sea. cog2d rot
dooompose, but must remain precisely in the
state il which it was at the time Of its depo-
sition. This, he says, is owing to the total
exclusion Of light and heat, to the Great press
ure Of the waters, and its s~altncss. Many
experiments have been made to test it. and
the result is, the conviction above stated
An experiment Of this kind was tried, 4 can
non ball was sunk through an apparatus for
graphing sediment from the bottom in The
sediment brought up, remains Of animal life
were found, fresh as when life became extinct.
If this be 50, what a wonderful exhibition
must the bottom Of the sea present. What
a vast museum Of curious things, hurdled TO-
getaer as if the land had been rocked by some
tempest and the occupants of its surface turn
Ell en- naasse into the bosom of the ocean.-
Human bodies more numerous than the sol
diery Of the world-the bodies Of great fish
and small-the wrecks Of ten thousand ships
with all hands on deck and penants flying
anchors, cables, CHOOSES, erockery, glassware,
cutlery, hardware, ~jewelry, unbroken boxes
Oh silks, cloths, muslin, richest embroidery,
silver and gold in tankards, spoons, bullion
AID coin, enough to do the merchandise Of
earth, all, al scattered hither and thither.
among coral rocks and reefs, half covered IN
d and mud, or the base Of some tall coral
sAltfs soon to meet the eye Of the discoycrer
OF a hitherto unknown island in the wide
deep sea, More melancholy than all, here
darkness which may be felt reigns perpetual
ly-oold, spreads its long night Of winter. and
death has his universal triumph. no power
can dispel that darkness, none can warm its
c%aYerns, none can break the dominion Of death
but lie who leads death and hell triumphant
at MS chariot wheels, and at whose voice the
dead shall leap into life, when the sea shall
give her dead and small and great staa5 At
His bar.