The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-08-23
THE OCEAN,.
Editorial Correspondence

hundreds of miles from the land 1 fell to
watching the breaking of the waves in
every direction around me. These break
ers were of very moderate dimensions,
but very distinctly visible apparently to
the very horizon. AS 1 watched them
received an impression of the solitary
vastness of the ocean more vivid than on
almost any other occasion. This impress
sion was made by allowing the eye to
range towards the horizon, where the
bursting surf would suddenly start into
view, and run along the face of the sea
in long white lines. AS one of these
waves would run its career and disap-
pear, another would burst beyond it at a
still more remote point-and so until the
imagination pictured the same restless
movements at limitless distances in un-
visited solitudes where no ship was sail
ing.
Our voyage has been characterised by
a remarkably calm sea; in fact have
several times noted what 1 never saw be-
fore far out in the Atlantic-the surface
of the sea unmarked by a ripple, but
smooth as glass-like the heaving surface
of bending ice under the heel of the
skater. The swell of the ocean never
ceases; the breathing of the great watery
abyss always goes on; but all this, as 1
now observed, may be done without one
wrinkle on its azure front. When the
sea was in this condition, there was over
head clear blue sky; and this also gave
me an unusually vivid impression of the
vastness of the ocean; 1 stood, as it were,
between two crystal seas-with not sol
itary object besides to complicate the
scene.
[ thought of certain scientific men Of
to-day who firmly declare that there is
no God. But in mid on the deck
of steamer, with no objects but these
(save the sun in full splendor), it would
appear difficult matter to conclude that
there was nothing behind them-just as
difficult as standing on the pavement OF
st. Peters, beneath that magnificent
dome which has been called 1.-THE Pan
theon suspended in the air, to exclude
the idea OF Michael Angelo. At least,
so it struck me; the argument seemed to
be reduced to its simplest terms, and to
make more brief and direct appeal than
any scene on land. A few nights after
wards the moon was at her full, and l
saw another beautiful sight. The fog
whistle had been blowing all the after
noon, and I was down in the saloon, when
suddenly the ship stopped-a rather
alarming incident at sea. Going on deck
discovered the cause; we had passed
close upon our track fine barque of a
thousand tons, going in the same direc-
ton, with every stitch OF canvass spread.
AS she emerged from the fog, and stood
out fully revealed, it was one Of the finest
sights ever saw. She looked like a
fairy ship just alighted upon the waves,
which las Burke said Of Marie Antoinette)
she scarcely seemed to touch" The fog
at sea is the terror of sailors confess
fire seems to me greater source of dan
ger, when I see the passengers (cabin and
steerage) smoking their cigars and pipes,
and striking their lights, in as careless a
manner as if they were in hotel.
On Sunday the captain, with prayer
book and Bible, conducted service in the
saloon, which struck me as having good
side to it until heard him day or two
afterwards, when he had been kept up
all night by the fog-signal, calling to a
party Of sailors in great anger, and ex-
claiming "a id butcher could do better
than that" This is State religion. He
asked me after the service, how I liked
it? ! told him, Every we'll" He said
he thought it was in good taste to recog-
Mise these conventionalities. "Or," l
replied, these realities"
The sea--the seattle sea, sums up
one experiences at sea, and we fall to
wondering at the scale on which the great
universe is constructed. Illimitable wa
ters? CW homo? we inwardly ask. What
is the object Of so much water? Why so
yaat an evparea ~ coli ra,,eot ;po, braaL