Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1860-09-29
Secrets of the Ocean.


Silver Banks, near IIayt
The banks Of coral on which my divnos,
narrated in the previous chaptcr, were made,
are about forty miles in length and from ten
to twenty in breadth.
On the bank of coral is presented to the
diver one Of the most beautiful and sublime
scenes the eye ever bchcd. The water va
res from ten to one hundred feet in dcpth
and so clear that the diver can see from two
to three hundred feet, when submerged, with
little obstruction to the sight
The bottom of the ocean in many places on
these banks, is as smooth as marble floor
in others it is studied with coral columns, from
ten to ono hundred feet in height, and from
one to eighty feet in diameter. The tops of
those more lofty support a myriad of pyrami-
dnl pendants, each forming a myriad more
giving the reality to the imaginary abode of
some water nymph. In other places, the pen
dants form arch after arch, and as the diver
stands on the bottom of the ocean and gazcs
through these into the deep winding avenue,
he feels that they fill him with as sacred an
awe MS if he were in some old cathedral
which had long been buried beneath cold
oceans wave" Hero and there, the coral
extends even to the surface of the water, as
if those lofticr columns were towers belong
ing to those stately temples now in ruins.
There were countless varieties of diminu-
tive trees, shrubs and plants in every crew
ice of the corals where the water had dcpos-
ted the least earth. They were all of n faint
hue, owing to the pale light they received,
although Of every shade, and entirely differ
ent from plants, | am familiar with that veg
ctatc upon dry land. One in particular at
tractcd my attention; it rescmblcd a sea fan
of immense size Of varcgatcd colors, and of
the most brilliant hue.
The fish which inhabited these Silver
Banks, | found as different in kind, as the
scenery was varied. They were of all forms,
colors and sizcs-from the symmetrical goby,
to the globclike sun-fsh; from those of the
dullcst hue to the changcablc dolphin; from
the spots of the leopard to the hues of the
sunbeam from the harmless minnow, to the
voracious shark. Some had heads like squir-
rols, others like cats and dogs; one of small
size rescmbcd bull terrier. Some darted
through the water like mcteors, while others
could scarcely BE- seen to move.
To cnumerate and explain all the vorious
kinds of fish beheld while diving on those
banks would, were | enough Of naturalist so
to do require moro space than my limits will
allow, for | am convinced that most Of the
kinds of fish which inhabit the tropical seas,
can be found there. The sunfsh, saw-fsh,
star-fish, white shark, ground shark blue or
shovel nose shark, were often seem There
were also fish which rcscmblcd plants, and re-
naming rs fixed in their position rs a shrub.
The only power they possessed was to open
and shut when in danger. Some of them
rcsomblcd the rose in full bloom and were all
hucs
There were the ribbon fish, from four to
five inches, to three feet in length Their
eyes are very large, and protrudc like those of
the frog Another fish was spotted like the
leopard, from three to ten feet in lcngth.-
They build their houses like the beaver, in
which they spawn, and the male or female
watches the egg until it matches. saw many
specimens Of Tie green turtle, come Eve feet
long, which | should think would weigh from
400 to 500 pounds.
OLD MAIDs.--An eloquent writer thus dis.
courses of this estimable class of females
There is truth and beauty all over the para
graph
g [ have no sympathy with that rude, un
feeling, and indclicatc phrase, old maid,
which is banded about in the mouths of rude,
unfeeling, and indicate persons 1t is true,
that a selfish nature, cut off from all duties
and ties, and sinking back into the solitary
life of selfish heart, becomes most unloycly
and useless But shall the few cloud the true
nobIcncss of the many? How many elder
sisters it may be unblessed with outward
comencss have entered into brothers or a
sisters family, and accepted all its cares as
the duty of their life, and twning hands with
the mother, given to each child, MS it were,
two souls of love, like two wings of God, to
help it fly up withal from weakness and igno,
rance 10 manhood and strength How MANY
have chccrfully given up their own whole life,
built no nest, sought no companion, but sang
in the tree, and near the youngings of anoth-
ers nest, patient in toll, watchful and labori
Gus in sickness, frugal amidst poverty rich in
nothing but good works. and in these abound
ing in wealth When the roll is read above.
and they are namcdthat lived in self-sacri6ce'
In gentleness, in patience in love, and in the
only triumph of dislntercsted mercy, they who
are unmarried and childless, that they might
more heroically serve the households of 9th
ers, and become mothers of children not their
own, shall stand high and bright"
WITTY pERvERsIoN.-A minister had n
quarrel with one of his parishioners by the
name of Hardy, who showed considerable re-
sentiment On thcsucceeding Sunday the di-
vine preached from the following text, which
he PRONOUNCED with great emphasis, and a
significant look at Hardy who was present:
There is no fool like the fool Hardy"
CRUST of bread, pitcher of watcr, and
thatchct roof, and love--there is happiness
for you, whether the day be rainy or sunny.
1T Us the heart that makes the home, whether
the eve rests unon n nototo match or . a..