The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-05-22
FLOOR OF THE SEA.
Terrific Ocean delights aud D.rtbs
Described

Who Is there among US that has eyer
seen lake, pond or a river bed Laid |
dry that has not felt an almost childish
interest and curiosity in the aspect OF a
portion OF earth's surface hitherto con-
cealed from our gaze? The feeling is prob |
ably universal. arising from the natural
desire To penetrate the unknown and also
from primitive anxiety to know what
sort OF an abode the inhabitants of the
water possess, since we almost always !
consider the water-folk to live as do the /
birds, really on land with the water for /
an atmosphere. But N this curiosity be 1
so general with regard to the petty
depth mentioned above, how greatly is it |
increased I'm respect to the recesses of the |
sea- For there is truly the great I'M /
known, the undiscoverable country of /
which. In spite of the constant efforts of |
deep-sea expeditions. We know next to |
nothing. Here Imagination may (and |
do,s run riot, attempting the impossible |
task Of reproducing to our minds the /
state OF things In the lightless, silent |
depths where life. according to our ideas /
Of ". Is impossible-the true valley of the /
shadow Of death.
suppose that IL were possible for some |
CONFUSION of Nature to lay bare, let us !
say. the entire bed of the North Atlantic /
ocean. With one bound the fancy leaps !
at the prospect of a redisCovery of the |
lost continent. the tabled Atlantis. whose |
wonders have had so powerful an effect
upon the imaginatons Of mankind. |
should We be able to roam through those
stupendous halls. climb those towering
temple heights reared by the giants of
an elder world, gaze with stupefied
wonder upon the majestic ruins of cities
90 which Babylon or Palmyra with all
their mountainous edihces were but as "a
suburban towrlet? Who knows Yet
maybe the natural wonders apparent in
the foundations Of such soaring masses
as the Azores. the Cape Verde Islands,
or the Canaries, or. greater still. the alti-
tudc Of such remote and lonely pinnacles
"a those of the St. Paufs Rocks, would
strike us more marvellous yet. To
thread the cool intricacies of the still
vcXt BermOOthes' at their Easements and
seek out the caves where the sea mon
. stCrs dwell who never saw the light of
DAY. to wander at will among the wind
lIEs Of that strange maze of reefs that
'ramp up the OutpOurtng OF the beneh-
cent Gulf Stream and make IL issue from
q source with that turbulent energy that
carries ~. laden with blessings to our
shores-what "a pilgrimage that would be!
Imagine the vision Of that great chain of
Islands which we call the West Indies
soaring up from the vast plain 5000 feet
/ below, with all the diversity Of form and
color belonging TO the lovely homes OF
the coral insects, who build ceaselessly
for themselves, yet all unconsciOusly rear
I stable abodes for mankind.
10 would be an awful country to view
I this suddenly exposed floor of the sea. a
barren land Of weird outline, of almost
unimaginable compleXity OF contour, but
without any beauty such as Is bestowed
| upon the dry earth by the kindly sun.
/ 4
whose prolific waters are peoplcd with
| life 80 abundantly that even the teem-
| ing earth Is barren as compared with thS
ocean. But at It's greatest depths all
| the researches that man has been able
To prosecute go TO prove that there Is
| little life. The most that goes on there
/ ia steady accumulation OF the DEAD
husks OF once living organisms, setting
slowly down 60 form who knows what
new GRANTEES. marbles, pOrphyrles,
tpatnst the time when another race on
1 Mt earth shall need them. Here
| there Is nothing fanciful, for II we know
anything at all Of prehistoric times, u ~
| that what Is now nigh land. nQt say
/ merely dry land, was once lying cold and
| dormant at the bottom of the sea, being
prepared ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS can say Whal
I unrealizable periods OF time F-for the use
! and enjoyment OF us present ioruS'
A Queer Theory about Wrecks.
Not until we leave the rayless gloom,
\ the incalculable prcssures ana universal
! cold OF those tremendous depths, 90 We
| nnd the sea floor beginning 10 apound
| with life. IL may even be doubted Wheth-
/ or anything Of mans handlWoTk' suCn 40
I there Is about a ship laundering IN mld
/ ocpan would ever reach In "a recognzaDlt
| form the bottom OF the sea at depth OF
I more than 1000 fathoms. There Is an
\ idDa papuIarly current among sea1arers
I mai sunken ships In the deep sea only go
\ down "a certain distance, no matter Wha'
\ thoir build or how ponderOus thelr car
\ 70 Having reached certain stratum
I r.. tben drift about. slowly disintegrat-
/ re- d"relicts OF the depths, swarming
/ vvitb strange denizens, the shadowy Meets
/ ~ the loved and lost and mourned. IN
l tirpr Of course as the great solvent gets
| ia ia work they disappear, becoming
/ nart Of their surroundings. but not Tor
I hurdrcds Of years, during which they
l ,,,'ss and repass at the will OF the under
rrurr.nts that everywhere keep the whole
/ brdv 81 the water In the ocean from pc
/ corStn9r starnant and death dealing 10
| .diacent shores. a weird fancy truly
I mi stireIy not more. strange than tne 81
| tnnt dcnths about which IL - terminated
| I'm his narvellously penetratiVe way,
/ tsinttng has touched this theme WINE
| sir cling THE Song Of the English
/ ,rh, ,,r.cks dissolve above us; their dust
/ drops down from afar- -,
/ Down to the dark, the utter uark, ""eie
| The bind white seasnakes are. l.,
/ erb,r, ts no sound, no echo OF SOUND III
| the deserts Of the deep, -
| On the great gray level plans y. 80
where the sheil-burred cables creep.
/ Here in the womb OF the worlu-heie vi
/ the tie ribs Of earth, 49,, -,
. Words and the words OF men, HlCh'i "'''
nutter and beat ,.....t,,, ,.,d
warming sorrow and gain. saiutauon anu
For n power troubles the stu that mas
neither voice or feet
/ Surely the Imagination must DE uea ~
t,dced that does not throb responsive "
mo Thought OF that latter day workman
| sbin ~ wire and rubber descendins ~
me will OF man into the vast No'u' anu