The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-02-09
THE sARAGAsso SEA.
a Great Meadow of Floating Weeds in
the Atlantic Ocean.

Great Meadow of Floating Weeds in
the Atlantic Ocean.
Only bit of floating seaweed that the
restless surf washed up on the beach,
and vet the mere sight of it carried my
thoughts back to one OF the most import
ant events in the history of the world, for
its far-away ancestors well nigh prevented
the discovery of America.
You know the story; how the ignorant
sailors of Columbus became alarmed and
almost mutinied when their ships sailed
into what appeared to be a perfect net
work Of impeuctrahle weeds They be-
licved that the thickening sea was n
warning of Providence to turn back from
their audacous undertaking, and II re-
CURED all the frmness and authority of
Columbus to bring them back to duty
and obedience. That wonderful mass of
soaweeds was something new and mystic
rious and, therefore, to he feared.
Later on, when the Spaniards became
familiar with its constant presence in
that triangular space midway in the
Atlantic between the Azores, the Canaries
and the Cape de Verde Islands. they
called 1t marine meadow" The sail
ors. however christened it tho Sargasso
sea. from the Spanish word sarrazo
which means seaweed Stnl though sat.
ished that it 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
others. and they are always found. each
III almost me Same spot The diurnal
motion of the earth tho never-ceasing
rush OF the tides, and the steady force
of the winds create. under tho tron,cs -
surface current In the seas. which ,d-
Vances' from east to west. Mt tho rate of
anout ten marine miles an hour.
rms current, which Is called tho cnuo-
'o,lal current, or current Of rotation. Is
only superficial, and extends I'm one vast
ihonilc sheet, which moves between tho
tropics II forms the GENIAL waters OF
."u Narlppean sea and feeds the Gulf
s'ream' AT Cape San Roaue n I,vidoe
one part flowing south to meet and no.
transformed into a submarine currort
ny we north Polar current: on the other
Brazil GUIANA ana
And then there is the "GuIf stroar, 30
,ne East which issues from tho Rnv os
,vnse. IT'S waters, like those OF our
80 go "ul stream, may be distinguished
I'm 'om, ,ue bordering waters of the great
oe"an ny their indigo tint. Tho Jananeso
can 1t The black river.
Leaving the BAY Of Renp,, this ,raa,
~" current passes through the Strait of
l
,ham sweeps the coast Of Asia, and
ru s " o OF the Philippine Islands,
us"es our INTO the ocean. describing tho
n ,s,a OF a great circle as far as the Aien,ian
law uS LIKE the gulf stream OF the At
anu, II moderates the riror Of the oil
mates that It travcrscs '"e VII
ooa me analogy between those two great
oueahie arteries Is wonderful but e. 70
49, 1T our present purposs 10 know
."e 10 their circuitous currents tho Snr
sIsso seas owe their existence.
Tow Wen, this T. easily exn,atrod
r DrIp some pieces of light moss or bits Of
win VOW, mo,n into a tub Of water; then
' water circular motion. In ,rome an,
s, v" WI, , see that all the floating sub.
continue the circular motion ana NJ ~.
ing [ oS e,%s blow sharply against the tloat.
position, hut will not leave ,h ua'snse ,heir
the s T wn,er 50 long as the rotary motion OF
, ,hS WAFER continues Observe TOO t,o a.,
'' Th enter ~, is comparatively calm WV '""'
seas In tho center Of the several cIro,,,o