The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-24
THE sARGOssA SEA.
4 Great Mendow of Floating weeds
in the Atlantic Ocean.

IUul the EnllaOelpnla IlmeS.
Only bit of floating seaweed that the
restless surf washed up on the beach.
and yet the mere sight Of it carried my
thoughts back to one of the most impor-
tant events in the history of the world,
for its far-away ancestors well-nigh pre-
vented the discovery of America
You know the history; how the ignor-
ant sailors of Columbus became alarmed
and almost mutinied when their ships
sailed into what appeared to be a per-
feet network of Uncomfortable weeds
They believed that the thickening sea
was a warning Of providence to turn
back from their audaciOus undertaking.
and 1t required all the frmness and au-
thorlty of Columbus to bring them back
10 duty and obedience. That wonder
ful mass of seaweeds was something
new and mysterious, and, therefore, to
Later on. when the spaniards became
familiar with its constant presence in
that triangular space midway in the At
lantic between The Azores, the Canaries
and the cape de Verde Islands, they
called IL marine meadow" Tbs Sill
ors, however, christened it the Saf@asso
sea, from the spanish word sargazO,
Wnleh means seaWeed. Still, though sat
iSned that II was not of supernatural
origin. they could not account for its
existence.
Science, however, long ago solved the
mystery, not only of this, but of other
Sargasso seas. For there are several
OlutISs anu lney are always. IOunQ. each
in almost the same spot. The diurnal
motion of the earth, the never-ceasng
rush of the tides, and the steady force
of the winds, create, under the tropics,
surface current in the seas, which adj
vances, from east to west, at the rate
of about ten marine miles an hour.
This current, which is called the equa-
torial current, or current of rotation, is
only superficial, and extends in one vast
mobile sheet, which moves between the
tropics. 1t forms the genial waters of
the Caribbean sea and feeds the Gulf
stream. At Cape San Rogue il divides
one part towing south to meet and be
transformed into a submarine current by
the North Polar current; on the other
Brazil
And then there is the Gulf stream of
the east" which issues from the Bay of
Bengal. Its waters, like those of our own
Gulf stream, may be distinguished from
the bordering waters of the great ocean
by their indigo tint. The Japanese cali it
the black river
Leaving the Bay of Bengal, this great
warm current passes through the Strait
of Malacca, sweeps the coast of Asia,
and then noT,h of the Philippine Islands,
rushes out into the ocean, describing the
arc OF a great circle as far as the Aleu-
tan Islands. Like the Gulf stream of
the Atlantic, il moderates the rigor of
the climates that it traverses.
The analogy between these two great
oceanic arteries is wonderful, but it is
enough for our present purpose to know
that 10 their circuitous currents the Sar-
gasso seas owe their existence.
How2 Well, this is easily explained. Drop
some pieces of light moss or bits of cork
or wood into a tub of water; then with
your hand near its edge, give the water
circular motion, In a moment you will
see that all the floating substances will
have collected in the center. Continue the
circular motion, and at the same time
blow sharply against the floating OBJ
jects and they will change their positions,
but will not leave the vicinity of the CEN
ter so long as the rotary motion of the
water continues. Observe, too, that this
center is comparatively calm.
This IS the explanation of the Sargasso
seas. In the center of the several cir
cults of the great ocean arteries, vast
basins of comparatively still water are
formed. The currents by which they are
surrounded constantly throw toward the
center all hoating substances, especially
marine plants and these, owing to the
quiet waters. multiply with great rapid
ity, those that have lived their appointed
time sinking out of sight. while new ones
take their place. Even the action of the
winds, as intimated above, serve only to
shift this position slightly.
The marine meadow" with which we
are most familiar, that of the mid-At-
lantic, spreads over an extent of surface
nve or six times as large as the territory
occupied by France. What a wonderful
meadow on land that would be for cat
tie! And yet it is scarcely less so where
II is, for the creatures of the sea.
This sargassum, or gulf weed, is rather
odd looking. Its frond is very long ana
furnished with distinct, stalked, nervine
leaves. and berry-like air vessels on sim
pie aXillary stalks. 1t is found floating
or cast on the shores, but its true home
is at the bottom of the sea, whence, be-
coming detached, il rises to the surface
buoyed up by its curious little air vessels.
The sargassum hardly looks good
enough 70 eat, but that 1t IS both palatS
able and nutritious is abundantly proved
by the many dishes that are prepared
from il, not only in China, but in other
parts of the east. Helen Harcourt.