Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1892-01-23
WADTNG on A CAY.
SPECIMENS or SEA LIFE SEEN AMONG
THE BAHAMAS.

THE BAHAMAS.
Masses of Coral Fuii Of Tiay crassaeeans.
Usder the shelves of Roek--Ameng
the Orange colored Fields of sara
Eossa-
Que day at low tide went ashore off Hog
Cay, 1t was, or is, called Hog Cay because
there are no hogs on IL, and for that matter
there are dozens Of Gays called Hog Cay pos
sibly for the same reason Most of the sponge
fishing vessels carry u black Zig which roains
ON the forecastle deck What this pig gets
to eat is to me mystery. There seems 20 bs
no surplus of food, no cold food over, GER
tainly, for the sponge flsheyman's food 10
bread aud water, and not over much Of that
These pigs are very thin, and have an un-
comfortable habit Of gnawing at ones pants
legs.
At low tide the shores OF n rocky islet or
cay in the Bahamas has a ragged reef of rock
uncovered and looking like mass OF wind
blown soap suds made ON a large scale, sud
denly petrifed, and than black or gray with
mildew. IL is honeycombcd and pocketed
with sharp, brittle, Jagged points every
where. On and In this reef are found many
species of mollusks, generally occupy
they withdraw into their shells, shut the door
aud placidly await the flow OF the next tide.
Here thousands Of the little spiral bleed
ing tooth shells Below this rock is a shelv-
ing belch or shallow sloping, and on this
waded IN my rubber boots, collecting such
things as attracted my attention. Masses of
soft corais hrancnei and interlaced. whitish
with pink tips, served as cover for fish OF
many bright colors, little fellows no. daring
10 go into the open
FULL OF LIFE.
Taking to the dry beach masses Of this
coral as great as could lift, found it full
OF life; little tiny crustaceans-white,b black
and red-ininute, quick moving star fish,
| green and black; black spined sea eggs; long
worms with double line Of leg like points
on the lower surface and leather tube, Ia
which they carried themselves; funny iittls
old mosshack crabs, SO hid by vegetable
growth as to pass unnoticed il they would
only keep still; beautiful olive shell, with
purple mouth, like dainty lady in humble
company. Here and there whelk or two,
nestled under "A little shelf, with its button
like door shut tight Larger and hatter
corals of dull yellow found covered with
parasitic life, such as tiny sponges, leather
like fiat, some yellow with many mouth,
u
In handling which there Is left in the skin
spicul@ so fine and needle like that they
poison the hands, causing itching and
eruption that lasts for days; waving alge,
thread like sea plants OF many a plumey
form and many shade OF brown; coraiites
white and brown, jointed, branching tufts
Under the rock shelves were bright colored
anemoDes, siren like letting the shallow tide
comb their long hair. A little deeper big
craytish, brilliant in gold and black, with
feelers twenty inches long, instead Of claws,
steal quickly away; big crabs, blue and gray
or dark spotted red, hold up angry claws,
, then try To hide under my boots. On shore
the great round leaves of the red and green
SEA grape hide tine land.
On the leeward side Of the cay the ebb tide
leaves bare a white marty bar 1000 acres In
area, full OF the tracks OF little lively shell
tish plowing along and feeding; natlcas
: white and blue; deep holes where the crab,
hide; other holes from which issnes q long
I, sack, translucent and filed with red spots
the eggs Of some creature; little collar lik,
4 rings, the egg cases Of the nisitas A firing
Of dead and brown gulf weed marks the lin
. OF tine spent high tide ON the shore, with her
: and there dead shell or sponge. A eoupl
: OF hours wading, at each low tide, at the enc
: Of New Cay. is fruitful every day of new ane
strange creatures. Such hours are fascinat
ing aud such pleasure is unalloyed.
/ GARDEN OF THE sEA
Whoever has sailed In big steamship I,
Cuba, to the Bahamas, or through the Soutl
Atlantic, has seen after crossing the Gull
I Stream, day after day, an unending process
sion OF great and little patches OF a hrigh
orange eolored plant which floats placidly o.
the surface. Sometimes il is only q singl,
| plant spread out fiat with the leaves ans
n stems partly out of water; often there ar,
! patches OF from many inches to many feet II
> AREA; or again great fields acres In extent
sometimes IL Is IN strealss or bands, c6ntinu
Gus or interrupted, a few feet. or mny be rod
. wide, extending from horigon % horizon
This is the orange colored garden Of the sea
: a simple plant, without apparent root, leafing
towering and fruiting as 1t floats the Sara
. gnsaa weed, wht~e metropolis is In tn
horse latituisS.
; have often wanted TO fish 1t up from en-
3 deck OF a steamer, but never succeeded :.
any satisfaction until recently, when
e crossed ON little sloop one OF the abyssa
d.eps Of ocean which reach in between tn
Bahama islands. could easily reaeh il with
4 a landing net we sailed. II Is plant OF I
soft orange color over under and through
multitude OF minute animals, little cora
like growths, wreath the stems in strings q
!, learls Crabs no bigger than finger nail
/ mailed in coats OF flesh rcd or oiacA. resen
, with upheld claw all intrusion; prawns ans
e lo''sters In miniature fiip-fap their jointe,
{ tails In microscopic gladneSs; fishes in brigh
bands of color, half an inch long, find hom
here.
In this the winged shells Of many form
q and amber hues, q distant order Of nlollnsk
4ah
: ON Its surface, find food and shelter, q groul
7 Of shells rare in any cabinet. The fronds o
4 this plant are buoyed up by numerous blad
!" derlike nodules at intervals along each stem
+ Two distinct pieces were observed. one o
: which was slightly greenish In the crang
, tone Of color. r.--Frederick Stearns In Dstroi
) Free Pres.
; Americans Chivalrens Race.
: The American men are ehivalrous race
J They respect women; they are the nohlea
4 men /. the world. There are, 20 bs surs