The evening world., 1894-08-28
THE SARGASSO SEA.
A Mass of senweed and WreckaEe
In the Atlantic.

SB:Uy IlivtbB o-F.at SHRDLU RDLU
The surface of II seems. says an eN-
change, speaking of the Saragossa Sea,
like perfect meadow of seaweed. 1t Is
supposed that this enormous mass of
gulf weed may have been partly grown
at the bottom OF the shallower parts Of
the sea, and partly torn from the shores
of Florida and the Bahama Islands by
the force of the Gulf Stream. 1t Is then
swept around by the same agency into
the Sarsasso Sea, where 1t lives and
propagates. floating freely in mid-ocean.
And the store is ever increasing. both by
addition and propagation. SO that the
meadow grows more and more compact,
to a considerable depth below the sur
and no doubt at the inner parts extends
face.
Nor is this all for at least two-thirds
OF all the infinite fiotsam and jetsam
which the Gulf Stream carries along with
It In its course sooner or later finds a
resting place in the Sargasso Sea. Here
may be seen huge trunks of trees torn
rom the forests Of Brazil by the waters
of the Amazon, and fioated down far
out to sea until they were caught and
swept along by the current: Iogwood
from Honduras: orange trees from Flor
ida. canoes and boats from the islands,
STAYED In, broken, and bottom upward
wrecks and remains of all sorts gathered
from the rich harvest of the Atlantic;
whole keels or skeletons of ruined ships
weeds, that the original outline is en-
tirely lost to view: and here and there a
derelict ship transformed from a float
Ing terror of the deep into a mystery
put out of reach Of man in a museum OF
unexplained engmas.
It Is only natural that ships should
carefully aToid this marine rubbish heap,
where the Atlantic shoots its refuse. It
seems doubtful whether sailing vessel
would be able to cut its way into the
strong wind behind II. Besides. IL the
citort were rewarded with a first delu-
Siye success, there would be almost GER
tain danger that in the calm regions OF
the Sargasso Sea the wind would sud
denly fail it altogether. leaving It locked
hopelessiy amid the weed and the drift
and wreckage, without hope of succor
or escape: With regard to steamer. no
prudent skipper is ever likely to make
the attempt, for 1t would certainly not
be long before the tangling weed would
altogether choke up his screw and render
1t useless.
The most energetic explorer OF land
or sea will find himself baffied with re-
gard to the Sargasso Sea by the fact
tha ne Il is neither eid one nor the other. IT
liquid enough to afford a passage to a
boat; At the same time any one who
fell into it would certainly be drowned
without being. able. to swim for his life.
or course. II is quite conceivable that a
very determined party OF pioneers might
cut passage for small boat even to
the centre. The work would take an I'm
mense time: however, and the channel
they proceeded.
provisions for the whole voyage, and a
Journey over space equalling the con-
tinent, OF Europe would probably re-
qulre larger supplies than could be con-
Resides there is no reason to suppose
that the expedition would be worth the
making. or that the inner recesses OF the
SS;argasso ca would exhibit any marked
differences from the outer margin. The
/ accumulation OF weed would be thicker
and more entangled and the drift and
wreckage would lie more. closely pressed
Is no possibility OF the existence Of any
but marine life in this strange morass,
unless the sea birds have built their
derellct vessel.