Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1863-08-12
OCEAN sPLENDoRs.

Let him who delights in scenes Of gran,
deur and beauty, 80 down beside the deep
blue sea, just az the golden sun is sinking
behind the crested waves and painting tho
clodds with crimson hues. Here, upon
:he rock bound shores, which for ages
has withstood the rolling tide, let him
stand and gaze far out upon the heaving
bIllows as they mount upward 10 the sky.
or break INTO clouds Of foam ut his very
! feet.
As the sunsets rosy light falls level over
the waves and then fades away into the
soft, sweet, summer twilight, aud tho gems
tie broezes from of the water fan his brow,
and whisper by in accents soft and low,
and then seem to mingle their notes in
! blended harmony with the music of the
waves, then will his soul expand with new
Iand lofty thoughts WORTHY the inspiration
of the hour and a stronger and o deeper
! love of nature declares itself from his lips.
There is ever beauty and subimity
about the ocean, with its rocky shore4 and
emerald islands, which excitas our admir-
alton, and for hours we have sat upon
some high rock which prof 'cted far out
into the briuy deep, and watched the
ioam capped waves, as one after another
came rolling in endless succession against
the rocy bauios, There upon the heads
lands you play watch the white winged
ships as they speed onward over the waves
bound TO some distant shore. There can
the apprecatiye eye take in all the
beauties fthe scene, and as the long slant
sunset rays shimmaring the sea. aud the
gold and crimson Of the western clouds,
the emerald banks of the islands rising
abruptly from the water. and the sott
| tieecy clouds drifting like boats thr)' the
dark blue, upper sea, together with all
| the splcndors of . summer sunset upon
the wave, form picture Of rare and sub
limo beauty which no picture can faithful,
ly portray upon the canvass
But not all the splendors Of the ocean
are to be seen upon its surface or upon its
rugged shores for as we go down beneath
The bright waves, new beauties unfold
themselves 10 our view, and far down up
Oh the oceans bottom are coral fields or
surprising beauty. In many parts of the
ocean the water is clear and transparent.
In the Indian Ocean it is said the spotted
corals are plainly visible in twenty-five
fathoms Of water and the ohrysialno
clearnesI Of the Caribbean Sea eXcites the
admiration of all who have an eye for the
! beautiful,
In passing over these so splendidly
adorned grounds" says Schof, "whers
marine life shows itself in an endless va
rety Of forms the boat, suspended over
the Clearest crystal, seems to float in the
air SO that person unaccustome to tho
sceue, easily becomes gddy On the
sandy bottom appear thousands Of sea-
stals, sea urchins, molluses, and fishes OF
a tri,Iiancy OF color unknown in our tenn.
perate seas. Burning red, Intense blue,
Lively green and yellow, perpetually vary;
the spectator floats over groves Of sea.
plants, gorgonias, corals, alcyoniums, fla
bellun1s, and spouges, that ailord no less
delight TO the eye, and are no less gently
agitated by the waters, than tho most
beautiful garden on earth when gentle
breeze passes through the waving boughs,
la other parts OF the ocean, especially
that lying between the coasts Of Newfound-
land and Ireland, the bottom is represen>
ted as being covered to a considerable
depth with the curious romans oil animal
life, 50 small in size as 10 resemble, at the
first sight, the finest sand or sawdust.
Aud throughout every part of the vast wa
terry domain are to be found innumerAble
specimens of fish and shells Of great beau~
ty. And yet the wonders of the ocean
have never been half told, or its hidden
spendors half explored and brought to
light. What field then, is here repre-
seated for study and research, and what
beauties still remain to be unfolded 10 tho
admrirg eye.