Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1893-01-13
THE OCEANS GRAVEYARD.
THE sARaA $50 SEA. THE CENTER
OF ATLANTIC CURRENTS
An Immense Area of Water Which fs
Covered with Floating Wrecks
and Other Strange Objects.

An Immense Area of Water Which is
Covered With Floating Wrecks
and Other Strange Objects.
IOR several years past the Hydro
H graphic Bureau nc Washington
has been trying to acquire a
more intimate knowledge of the
movements of the waters of the ocean
and great number of bottles, contain
ing messages and securely corked, have
been dropped overheard by vessels.
Many of these have foated thousands of
miles before they were picked up, and,
while some were washed upon native and
foreign shores, others have found their
way into the great Sargasso Sea-. From
the courses taken by these different bot
ties it has been found that the ocean
currents move around in a vast circle.
Those which were dropped overheard
ON the American coast took northerly
course, while those ON the European side
foated toward the south. Bottles
dropped overheard in the North Allan
tic started toward the northeast, and
those from the African and Spanish
coast hoated almost directly west until
they reached the West India Islands.
The general directions of the currents
were thus ascertained, showing that the
waters acted upon by winds and cur
rents circulated round and round like a
pool.
In all pools floating objects are quickly
cast outside of the revolving currents,
or they are carried 18th them in their
circular route for SC time, until they
are washed nearer centre or side of
the pool. The bottles hat were forced
outside of the currents of the ocean
were cast upon the shores of some coun.
try, but those which were worked
toward the centre eventually found their
way in the calm waters of the Sargasso
Sea. Here they remain peacefully until
picked up by some vessel, or until some
storm casts them back into the great
pool.
Vessels very rarely visit the great sea
in the middle of the ocean, but occasion
ally they are driven there by storms or
adverse winds. Strange sights meet the
gaze of the sailors at such times. Won
derful stories-partly true and partly
ing from forced trip to the vast Sar-
gasso Sea. The surface of the sea is
covered with floating wrecks, spars, sea-
weed boxes, fruits, and thousand other
innumerable articles. 1t is the great re-
pository or storehouse of the ocean, and
all things which do not sink to the bot
tom or are not washed upon the shores
are carried to this centre of the sea.
When one considers the vast number of
wrecks on the ocean, and the quantity
of floating material that is thrown over
board, faint idea of the wreckage in
the Sargasso Sea may be conceived.
Derelicts, or abandoned vessels, fire.
quently disappear in mysterious ways,
and no accounts are given of them for
years by passing vessels. Then suddenly,
years later, they appear again in some
well-traveled route to the astonishment
of all. The wrecks are covered with
mould and green slime, showing the
long, lonesome voyage which they have
passed through. 1t is generally sup
posed that such derelicts have been swept
into the centre of the pool and remained
in the Sargasso Sea until finally cast out
by some unusually violent storm.
The life in this sea is interesting. Sol
itary and alone the acres of waters, GOV.
cred with the debris, stretch out as the
vast graveyard of the ocean, seldom
being visited by vessels or human beings.
Far from all trading routes of vessels,
the sight of sail or steam vessel is
something unusual. The fishes of the
sea form the chief life of these watery soil.
tudes. Attracted by the vast quantities
OF wreckage floating in the sea, and also
by the gulfweed on which many of them
live, they swarm around in great num-
bers. The smaller fishes live in the in
tricate avenues formed by the seaweed,
and the more ferocious denizens of the
deep come hither to feed upon the quan-
Titles of small fish. In this way the sub
marine life of the Sargassc Sea is made
interesting and lively.
The only life overhead is that made
by few sea birds, which occasionally
reach the solitudes of this mid-ocean
cemetery. A few of the long flyers of
the air penetrate to the very middle of
the ocean, but it is very rarely that this
occurs. Some have been known to
follow vessels across the ocean,
keeping at a respectful distance
from the stern. Other birds have
been swept out to sea by storms, and
have finally sought refuge in the Sar-
gasso Sea. Still others, taking refuge on
some derelict, have been gradually car
ried to the same midocean scene. There
lie sufficient food floating on the surface,
or to be obtained from the fishes which
live among the forests of seaweed, to
support large colony of birds. 1t is
surmised that many of those found in the
sea have inhabited those regions for
years, partly from choice, and partly
from necessity. Birds swept out there
by storms would not care to venture the
long return trip to land, and finding an
abundance of food and wrecks on which
to rest and rear their young, they might
easily become content with their strange
lot. Just how far the strong g-winge
sea birds can fly without resting is
conjectural, but it is doubtful If many
of them would undertake such long
journey ssaward with no better prospects