Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-12-19
The Ocean Bottom.


Mr.. Green, the famous diver, tells singular
stories of his adventures, when making search
in the deep waters Of the ocean. He gives
some new sketches Of what he saw at the Sill
yer Bank, near Hayti:
The banks of coral on which my ydivings were
made are about forty miles in length, and from
ten to twenty in breadth. On this bank OF
coral is presented to the diver one of the most
beautiful and sublime scenes the eye ever be-
held. The water varies from ten to one hun
dred feet iu depth, and so clear that the diver
can e., NJ see I from two to three hundred feet when
submerged, with but little obstruction to the
sight.
The bottom of the ocean in many places is
as smooth as a marble floor; in others it is
studded with coral columns, from ten to one
huadred feet in height, and from one to eighty
feet in diameter. The tops of those more lofty
support a myriad of pyramidal pendants, each
forming myriad more, giving reality to the
imaginary abode of some water-nymph. In
other places the pendants form arch alter arch
and, as the diver stands on the bottom OF the
ocean, and gazes through in the deep winding
avenues he finds that they fill him with as sa-
cred an awe as if be were in some old cathed-
raj which had long been buried beneath old
oceans wave. Here and there the coral eX-
tends even to the surface of the water,a if the
Ioftiest columns were towers belonging to those
stately temples that arc now in ruins.
There were countless varieties OF trees,
shrubs and plants in every cre7lce OF the corals
where water had deposited the earth. They
were all of faint hue, owing to the pale light
they received although Of every shade, and en-
tirely different from plants that am familiar
with that yegetate upon dry land One in par
ticular attracted my attention; it resembled a
sea. fan of immense size, Of varegated colors and
the most brilliant hue The fish which inhabit
these stSilver Banks / found as different in
kind as the scenery was varied. They were of
all forms, colors and sizes-from the symmet-
rical goby to the globe-like sun6sh; from the
dulIest hue to the changeable dolphin; from
the spots of the leopard to the hues of sun
beams; from the harmless minnow to the vora-
cious shark.
Some had heads like squirrels others like
cats and dogs, some of small size resembled the
bull terrier. Some darted through the water
like meteors, while others could scarcely be
seen to move.
10 enumerate and explain all the various
kinds of fish / beheld while diving on these
banks would, were [ enough Of naturalist SO
10 ulUIc CllsIu SIiIoH, ~
am convinced that most OF the kinds OF tsh
which inhabit the tropical seas can be found
there. The sun fish, star fish, white shark and
blue or shovel nose shark were often seen.
There were also fish which resembled plants
and remained as fixed in. their position as q
shrub the only power they possessed was to
open and shut when in danger. Some OF them
resemble the rose when in tull bloom, and were
of all hues. These were the ribbon fish, from
four or five inches to three feet in length their
eyes are very large and protrude like those OF q
frog.
Another fish is spotted like leopard, from
three to ten feet in length They build their
houses like beavers, in which they spawn, and
the male or female watches the egg until it
matches. I saw many specimens Of the green
turtle, some five feet long, which should
think would weigh from 400 to 500 pounds.
A New SET OF TEETH. There is lady in
this city, who has cut new set OF teeth since
she has passed the meridian of life. Having
lost her teeth, she was most skillfully supplied
with an artificial set by one of our accomplished
dentists but after wearing them short time
she found that the upper portion OF the set
hurt her gums thinking the plate was bent or
that there was some mechanical defect about
the arrangement she returned to the dentist,
who examined her gums and astonlshed her by
telling her that new tooth was coming She
laid aside her false teeth, and one after another
the new teeth came forth, and now the lady
glories in a beautiful and complete set OF natu-
raj growth, which, in appearance, rival the ar
,i6cial set, and in real use and comfort are
wortha dozen of them. This appears strange
but the living witnesses, as white as ivory, are
in this city.-Nor1olk Day Book.
A PULPIT INCIDENT. Some time ago, the
Rev. Mr.. Spurgeon preached sermon on tho
text-s'And Mary wept." In the midst OF
stream of earnest eloQuence that drew tears from
many of those present, in describing the char
actcr of the tears shed by Mary over the feet
of Jesus, he broke suddenly off, and turning
to his congregation, exclaimed: "Ihe tears
which Mary shed were not such tears as many
of you pour out when you come to this altar.
They came from the heart-they were tears or
blood-and not the poor stuff that you present
as an offering to an offended God" Then, leaL-
ing over the pulpit, and looking earnestly 10 the
sea of upturncd faces, he exclaimed: Ihere
are some of you for whose tears would not
give a farthing quart.
LANGUAGE OF TIE TELEoRApH.-Therel is
universal language, or, at least, the tounda,
ton of one, found in the fact that one and the
same telegraph alphabet is used in Great Brit
ain, France; Belgium. Holland, the German
States, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Malta, Swit7er
land, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Russia, Per
sia, Greece, Turkey, Africa, and India; also
for the Mediterranean, Persian Cult, and the
Atlantic cable. This alphabet, the New York
Commercial Advertiser says, was originated DJ
the Germans. .ysi
81 say, Clem, . cried two disputing darkies
appealing for decision to sable umpire
which word is right-di-zactly or de-zactly?
The sable umpire reflected a moment. AM
~ n ~ = cnid AT non't tal