The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-01-02
The Ocean bottom.

Mr.. Green, the famous diver, tells singular
stories of his adventure, when making search In
the deep waters Of the ocean. He gives some
new sketches Of what he saw at the "silvsr
Banks" near Haytl:
The banks Of coral on which my diyings 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 beau.
tiful and sublime scene, the eye ever beheld.
The water varies from ten to one hundred feet
in depth, and so clear that the diver can sec
from two 10 three hundred feet wnen submerged,
with but little obstruction to the sight.
The bottom Of the ocean, in many places, Is
as smooth rs q marble floor In others II is
studded with coral columns, from ton to one
hundred feet in height, and from ono to eighty
feet In diameter. The tops Of those more LOFTY
support q myriad OF pyramidal pendants, each
forming a myriad mor,, giving reality to tho
imaginary abode Of some watsr.nymph. In
other places the pendants form arch after arch,
and, as the diver stands on tho bottom Of the
ocean and gases through In the deep winding
avenues, he fpds that they all him with as
sacred an awe as If he were In some old csths-
dral which had long been buried beneath old
oceans wave, Here and there the coral extends
to the surface Of the water, as II the loftier
columns were towers belonging to those stately
temples that are now In ruins.
There were countless varieties OF diminutive
trees, shrubs and plants In every oroyiee Of the
oorals where water had deposited tho earth.
They were all Of q faint hue, owing 10 the pale
light they received, although Of every shade,
and entirely different from plants that am
familiar with that vegotate upon dry land. One
in particular attracted ny attention; It rsssm.
bltd q ses-fan Of Immense sire, Of varisgatsd
colos, and tho most brilliant hue. The fsh
which inhabit these "S''ver Banks" found a.
different In kind rs the scsae.y was varied.
They were Of all forms, colors aud siies-from
tho symmetrical goby to the globe-like sunfsh,
from the dullest hue to the ohsnysable dolphin;
from the spots Of tho leopard to the huss Of the
sunbeam from the harmless minnow to the yo-
others like cats and dogs, some Of small size re-
ssmbled the bull.terrisr. Some darted through
the water like moteors, while others could
scarcely be seen to move.
To enumerate and explain all the various
kinds Of fish I beheld while diving on these
banks would, wore l enough Of . naturalist so
to do, require more than my limits allow. for
am convinced that most Of tho kinds Of ash
which inhabit tho tropical seas can DO found
there. The sun fish, star 6sh, white shark and
blue or shovel-noss shark were ofsen seen.
There were also fish which resembled plants,
and remained as fixed in their position as .
shrub; the only power they possessed was to
open and shut when In danger. Some Of them
rosemblsd tho rose when In full bloom, and
wero Of all huss. There were the ribbon ash,
from four to five inches to three feet In length;
their eyes are very large and pro rude like those
Of a frog.
Another fish is spotted like a leopard. from
three to ten feet 10 length They build their
houses like beavers, In which they spawn, and
the male or female watches the egg until 1t
matches. I saw many specimens Of the green
turtle, some i've feet long. which should think
would weigh from 400 to 500 pounds.