The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1864-06-17
Ocean Splendor.

deur aud beauty, go down beside the deep
blue sea, just as the golden sun is sinking
behind the crested waves and painting the
clouds with crimson hues. Here, upon
the rock-bound shores, which for ages
have witbstood the rolling tide, let him
stand and gaze far out upon the heaving
pillows as they mount upward to the sky,
or break into clouds of foam at his very
| feet.
AS The sunsets rosy light falls level
over the, waves and then fades away into
the soft, sweet summer twilight, and the
gentle breezes from off the water fan his
brow, aud 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 aud lofty thoughts worthy the iuspi-
ration of the hour; and stronger and a
deeper love of nature declares itself from
his lips.
There is ever beauty aud sublimity about
the ocean, with its rocky shores and emer-
aid islands, which exotes admiration, and
for hours we have sat upon some high rock
which projected far out into the briuy
deep, and watched the foam capped waves,
as one after another came rolling in end
less succession against the rocky barriers.
There upon the headlands you may watch
the white winged ships as they speed on
ward over the waves bound to some dis
tant shore. There can the appreciative
eye take in all the beauties of the scene,
and the long slant sunset rays simmer
ing on the sea, and the gold and crimson
OF the western clouds, tue emerald banks
of the islands rising abruptly from the
water, and the soft dark-bfue, upper sea,
together with all the splendors of sum-
mer sunset upon the wave, form picture
of rare and sublime beauty which no
painter can faithfully portray upon the
canvass.
But not all the splendors of the ocean
are to be seen upon surface or upon its
rugged shores, for as VIC 60 down beneath
the bright waves, new beauties unfold
themselves to our view, and far down upon
the oceans bottom are coral fields of sur
passing 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 visibly in twenty five
fathoms of water and the crystalline clear
ness of the caribbean Sea excites the ad-
miration of all who bave an eye for the
beautiful.
"ln passing over these so splendidly
adorned grounds, says Schoff, "where
marine life shows itself in an endless va
rlety of forms, the boat, suspended over
the clearest crystal, seems to float in the
air, so that person unaccustomed to the
scene, easily becomes giddy. On the san.
dy bottom appear thousands of seasars,
molluses, and fishes of brilliancy or COL
or unknown in our temperate seas. Burn
ing red, intense blue, lively green and yell
low perpetually vary the spectator floats
over groves of sea-plauts, gorgonias, corals,
alcyoniuns, fabellums, and sponges, that
afford no less delight to that eye, and are
no less gently agtated by the waters, than
the most beautiful garden on earth when
a gentle breeze passes through the waving
boughs.
| In other parts of the ocean, especially
that lying between the coasts of New
foundland and Ireland, the bottom is rep
resented as being covered to considera-
BILE depth with curious remains of animal
life, So small in size as to resemble at the
first sight, the finest sand or sawdust.-
And throughout every part of the vast
watery domain, are to be found innumer-
able specimens of fish and shells of great
beauty. And yet the wonders of the ocean
have never been told, or its hidden splen.
doris half explored, and brought to light,
What field then, is here represent
ed for study and research, aud what beau
ties still remain to be unfolded to the ad-
miring eye.