Evening journal., 1893-01-02
OCEANS GRAVEYARD.
THE WONDERFUL SARGASSO SEA OF
THE GREAT ATLANTIC.

For several years past the hydro
graphic bureau at Washington has been
trying to acquire amore intimate knowl-
edge of the movements Of the waters Of
the ocean, and great number Of bot
ties, containing 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 Sar-
gasso sea.
From the courses taken by these diff
ferent bottles it has been found that the
ocean currents move around in a vast
circle. Those which were dropped over
board ON the American coast took
northerly course, while those on the
European side ioated toward the south.
Bottles dropped overheard in the North
Atlantic started toward the northeast,
and those from the African or Spanish
coast foated 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 q
pool.
In all pools floating objects are quick
" cast outside of the revolving currents,
or they are carried with them in their
circular route for some time until they
are washed nearer the center or side of
the pool. The bottles that were forced
outside Of the currents Of the ocean were
cast upon the shores Of some country,
but those which were worked toward
the center 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 occa-
sionally they are driven there by storms
or adverse winds. Strange sights meet
the gaze Of the sailors at such times.
Wonderful stories-partlyt true and part
" false-have been told by sailors re-
turning from a forced trip to the Sar-
gasso sea. The surface of the sea is COW
cred 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 center 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 fre-
quently disappear in mysterious ways,
and no accounts are given Of them for
years by passing vessels. Then sudden
", years later, they appear again in
some well Travelled route to the astonish-
ment Of all. The wrecks are covered
with mould and green slime, showing
the long, lonesome voyage which they
have passed through. 1t is generally
supposed that such derelicts have beer
swept into the center Of the pool and re
manned in the Sargasso sea Ssytl finally
cast out by some unusually violent
storm.
The life in this sea is interesting. Soil
tary and alone the acres of waters, GOV
cred with the debris, stretch out as tn,
vast graveyard Of the ocean, seldom
being visited by vessels or human beings
Far from all trading routes Of vessels
the sight Of a sail or steamship il
something unusual The fishes Of th'
sea form the chief life Of those wator,
solitudes. Attracted by the vast quan
titles of wreckage floating in the sea
and also by the gulfweed on which man,
of them live, they swarm around il
great numbers. The smaller fishes liv
in the intricate avenues formed by tn
seaweed, and the more ferocious deni
zens of the deep come hither to feed up
on the quantities of small fish. In thi
way the submarine life Of the Sargass
sea is made interesting and lively.
The only life overhead is that mad
by few sen birds, which occasionally
reach the solitudes of this midocoa
cemetery. A few Of the long flyers O
the air penetrate to the very middle O
the ocean, but it is very rarely that thi
occurs. Some have been known TO fo
low vessels across the ocean, keeping a
a respectful distance from the sterr
Other birds have been swept out to Sc
uge in the Sargasso sea. Still Others
taking refuge on some derelict, hav
been gradually carried TO the same miC
ocean scene.
There is sufficient food floating on th
surface OF to be obtained from the fishs
which live among the forests of seawee
to support a large colony Of birds. 1t
surmised that many oft those found
the sea have inhabited whose regions fC
years, partly from choice and partl
from necessity. Birds swept ont thei
by storms would not care to venture Il
long return trip to land, and finding q
abundance Of food and wrecks on whiC
TO rest and rear their young they migl
easily become contented with the
strange lot. just how far the stror
winged sea birds can fly without restiI
is all conjectural, but it is doubtful
many Of them would undertake such
long journey seaward with no bett
prospects ahead than dreary wastes
-,ta,. nattoir FREQ Draac