The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-15

and think Of the countless millions which thus en-.
viron M, we learn to appreciate
ana the comparative insignircance Of our own hves
, rSa1 i wit with what e &c known o we
advancement becomes the greatest incentive
minds that there Is no utility IN such lnvestlga-
lions aud that such lives can have no Important
enoe. A single, rather trite, but very applicable
instance to the contrary may be adduced.
There Is q little mOllusk-the teredo navals-
Which was al one tine the terror OF all shipowners.
~ would quietly ana unexpectedly pierce win
thousands OF holes the hardest timDers SHIPS were
time all Holland was In CONSERVATION at the dis
covery that the piles OF her kments,were bored
distinguished naturalist discovered that at certain
seasons the female OF this species carries her eggs
IN The folds Of her respiratory organs They remain
male, floating In the water. lie also I9und thar a
weak solution Of mercury thrown into the water
DESTROYED that mlt and prevented their Foundation
and thus, IN a few seasons, shipowners were ena-
bled TO clear their docks Of this hitherto uncon-
quered marauder.
This is but one OF hundreds OF cases; but 1t
serves TO show that size Ia no criterion OF impor-
lance IN the study ofzoology.
About forty 1--WE minutes past four O'Clock p. M,
on December IA, we sighted the high land on Porto
isico an elevation OF 2,7C0 leet but on account OF
the extreme naziness OF the weather were unable
to run In until the following morning. The passage
selected was between San ROck-sO called from lis
sail-and the island OF Culeoras, or Passage Island
ihlS and the nelghbOrinQ islands are covered With
They are used for breeding goa,s. We reached ST.
Thomas maroon about noon. Before we had pro-
ceeded very lar within It's mouth we were hailed by
the HarbOr Master, who, on learning that we were
from Boston, and Indirectly from Philadelphia, In
formed us that we would probably have to remain
In quarantine until twelve days from the Time OF
sailing from Boston had elapsed The reason for
this was the assumed prevalence OF smallpox IN
lessor AuuSSiZ Governor. stating mission
and showing the value OF time to us, soon ELECTED
Of remsnns Tor one or Two DAYS Without the
much desired communication with the city.
me entrance TO tue har0or mere y oniy quarter
has an average diameter OF about hree-quarters OF
mile. 1t forms the centre OF an amphitneatre Of hills,
only broken by few small channels which allow OF
passage into neighb0rng bays. Tue capital OF the
island, Charlotte Amalia, IS situated very pic
ject from tue side OF the hills 1t extends down 70
The waters edge and IS built up on the slope OF
a Sey b%s % ness oune nree
irregular rounded cones, and contrast beautifully
with The green vegetation above and around them.
The sweepng curve OF the shore OF the bay the un.
dulail0ns Of the line or the hill SUBMITS and the
shape Of the town ITSELF produce q general effect
neXpressiby soft and pleasing and devoid OF all
harsh contrasts There is nothing remarkable
about the town except the traces OF terrible earth
There are many houses still III ruins,
and we saw some families living under
the roof of their former residence, but with
no appearance oil desttutIOn; ana as meal or fish,
with loaf OF Bread can be obtained here Tor i've
cents, there are not many who suffer from hunger.
ST. Thomas belongs TO Denmark, anu, being practl'
caiy free port, Is visited by more vessels than any
being ABOUT three thousand of which five hundred
are British. the population Is now about fourteen
thousand chiefly negroes, but with some Danes,
English and Americans Tue colOled portion Is not
conspicuous for anything but their volubility and
perunacity in Offers OF guidance 1t Is Impossible
to walk through the streets without an extensive
escort each member OF which expects moderate
recOmpense Tor his unsolicited attentions. When
they discovered that there was q market on board
the Iasser lor geological specimens q great dea
OF activity was MANIFESTED and since then Professor
Agassiz has mad abundance Of materlal from which
to select his specimens, aud the quarter deck has
presented most unusual appearance. On ever
side we are surrounded by our rreasures-echino
dermes moving their strange splnes about and pre-.
sentng them as formidable Obstacles TO the grasp
Of the too eager naturalist; many branching cOrals,
cesses; buncnes OF nsh OF SO many varieties and
such brightly variegated hues tnat they resembled
TROPICAL BOUQUErS
hermlu-craOS dragging around their stolen habita-
tons, ana looking, as has been APPLY said ike
'THE DIOGENEs OF CRUsTACEA;'
spiders and lizards Writing III bottles aud boxes
and cans, each oil which Ia monument erected by
science to hundreds OF unfortunate victims. There
were 1000 gallons OF alcohol awaiting our arriva
here and large proportion OF II mas already cen EN-
pOyed in the preservation OIL these specimens which
| wiii be sent directly from mere to Cambridge. Pro
lessor Agasslz with his usual INTERCHANGEABLE energy
Is ut Inc same time occupied in collecting for MN
sell. WIN this view, one morning Of this week h
ana the Captain, with several OF the scientific party
including the ladies' started at daybreak In the gig
| went through u narrow channel to the west Of TIL
harbor and dropped anchor in shoal water owe
| what was afterwards found to be q bottom rch II
| all kinds OF animal and vegetable liIe
by dividing the party into different groups-som
to dive, Others to fish with nets and others to selcc
and preserve-very valuable additions were mad
| to our collection.
| great deal OF instruction and amusement wa
derived from the use OF tue maripe telescope four
| sided wooden box, having one end open, the othe
! fitted with pane OF glass. by punsing the closet
| end under the surface OF the water q wonderful
picture or series OF pictures may be seen by those
| lOORlng through-an er-mOving, eve. -changlnl
| aquarium AS you gaze, O sea anemone expands
| It's crown OF tentacles on the summit oil rock OF
more m0destiy seeks rep0se on the gliscuing sands
OF the bottom. Sea worms, with tuited feathery
tremities, proceed eisurey across the scene brlgh
cOl0red little fish, glistening In red and gold OF
| sparkling with q metallic lustre, play around the
branches OF the coral seeming, as has been said like
'TnE RUNNING BIRDS OF THE OCEAN,;
and an occasional migratory LOBSTER STALKS over TIT
| field quaint and ungalnly looking as II lie was ell
! gagged In business OF importance. In such man
! looking at this living panorama, and there ART
doubtless equally interesting sights in every brooE
| or trout stream OF North America. On another &C
casiOn the ph0thOy graphic apparatus was carried I,
an elevation on one OF the surrounding hills and .
number OF fine views Of the town and harbOr wer,
Obtained, forming the nucleus VI what we hope Il
| make valuable collection OF pictures.
Tomorrow we intend to leave for the purpose o
experimenting with our deep sea sounding ant
| dredging apparatus We Will make several cross
| Cruz, where We expect to find depth OF about wv,
| thousand or twenty-five hundred iath0ms. II al
| works well we VIII probably not touch at anOthe
| port before we reach Rio Janelro which WILL be II
| about twenty Or twenty-five days.
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