The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1873-07-10
Why the Red Sea is Called Red.

WriS'ian Union.
Why the Red Sea is Called Red
A question that has puzzled scholars
found a solution some time since in the
observation of an American submarine
diver. Smiths Bible dictionary discuss
es learnedly in the name of the Red
Sea. The dictionary surmises that the
name was derived from the red western
mountains, red coral zoophytes, etc,
and appears to give little weight to the
real and natural reason which came un.
der our American notice. On one occa.
sion the diver observed, while under
sea, that the curious wayering shadows,
which cross the lustrous, golden floor
like Frauenhofer's lines on the spec
trum, began to change ana lose them
selves A purple glory of intermingled
colors darkcncd the violet curtains Of
the sea chambers, reddening all glints
and tinges with an angry fire. Instead
Of that lustrous, golden armament, the
thallassphere darkened to crimson and
opal. The walls grew purple, the floor
red as blood the deep itself was pur-
pied with the venous hue of deoxidi2ed
life-currcnts.
The view of the surface was even
more magnificent The sea at first as
sumed the light tawny or yellowish red
of sherry wine. Anon this winc-color
grew instinct with richer radiance as
far as eye could see, and flashing i'll
the crystalline splendor of the Arabian
sun, was u glorious sea of rose. The
dusky red sandstone hills, with hor-
der OF white sand and green and flow
cred foliage, like an elaborately wrought
cup of Bohemian glass enameled with
brilliant flowers, held the sparkling
liquid petals of that rosy sea. The
surface, on examination, proved to be
covered with thin brickdust layer Of
infusoria slightly tinged with orange.
Placed i'll white glass bottle, this
changed into deep violet, but the wide
surface of the external sea was of that
magnificent and brilliant rose-color. 1t
was new and pleasing example Of the
iustrous, ever-varying beauty of the
ocean world. 1t was caused by diatom-
acm, minute algic, which under the mi
croscope revealed delicate threads gath
cred in tiny bundles, and containing
rings, like blood-disks, of that curious
coloring-matter in tiny tubes.
This miracle of beauty is not without
its anologies in other seas. The me-
dusu of the Arctic seas, an allied exist
ence, people the ultramarine blue of the
cold, pure sea with the vivid patches OF
living green thirty miles in diameter
The minute organisms are doubly Gu
riOus from their power of astonishin5
production and the strange electric fire
they display. Minute as these micro
scopic creatures are, every motion and
flash is the result of volition, and not
mere chemic or mechanic phOsphores-
cencc. The photocaris light flashing
cirrus, on being irritated, in brilliant
kindling sparks, increase III intensity
until the whole organism is illumina-
ted. The living fire washes over its
back, and pencils in greenish yellow
light its microscope outline. Nor do
these little creatures lack beauty Of
their own. Their minute shields OF
pure translucent silex are elaborately
wrought in microscopic symbols OF
mimic heraldry. They are the chivalry
of the deep, the tiny knights with lance
and cuirass, and oval bossy shield
carved in quaint conceits and ornamen-
tai fashion. Nor must we despise them
when we reflect upon their power OF ac-
cretion. The galhonelle, invisible to
the naked eye, can, of their heraldic
shields and tlinty armor, make two Gu
bic feet of Bilin polishing slate in four
days. By straining sea-water, web
of greenish cloth of gold, illuminated
by their play of self-generated electric
light, has been collected. Humboldt
and Ehrenberg speak of their voracity,
their flower of discharging electricity
at will, and their sporting about, ex-
hibiting an intelligent enjoyment OF
the life God has given to them. Man
, and his works perish, but the monu-
ments of the infusoria are the hinty
ribs of the sea, the giant bones Of huge
continents, heaped into mountain ranges
over which the granite and porphyry
q have set their stony seal forever. Man
II tbriyes in his little zone the popuious
. infusoria crowd every NOOK Oh ear'n
4 from the remote poles to the burning
equatorial belt. wiz Wallace Har-
ney, in Lippincott's Magazine.
| Why is whisper forbidden In polite
society? Because it isn't aloud.