The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-05-23
COMING TO LIGHT.
The Mysteries OF the Very Deep seas--Dead
Valleys Far Below the Sunlight.

Valleys Far below the Sunlight.
The mysteries Of the deep seas a-e
coming TO light. Sc entists nave meas
ured the mountains CT the ocean bed
and their lead lines have penetrated
into valleys so deep that the suns rays
are lest miles above their Bottom.
Some of these are more than 10000
feet below the surface. II the highest
mountain in the world were set at the
bottom its summit would lie nearly
half a mile under water. A rope Icing
enough to sound their remote depths
would reach from the Battery to Sixty
second street.
In these valleys there are no plants.
weeds or vegetation OF any kind, te-
cause such forms Ct lie need light. and
at these depths the e is total darkness.
But animal life fiourishes. Many OF
these deep-sea animals are gigantic.
These animals are all, or nearly all,
without eyes Most of them eat mud
and slime, but there are others who
seek living prey, find it by means OF
great feelers and then grasp and XIII
! it with long tentacles.
It is strange that in these dark and
| freezing abysses vast quantities OF veg
etable matter are found that during
their lives were bathed in tropical sun
| light and in water 80 degrees above
zero. These deposits lie side by side
| with other organisms which passed all
! their lives in darkness. and at tenn
perature near to the freezing point.
The vegetable organisms were original
| ~ absorbed by plants and animals on
| the carth'S surf, &c CT IN the shailo"
waters. ana it IS estimated that three
| fourths OF Il e deposits now covering
| the bottom # the ocean have at some
time passed through the alimentary
| Canals Of maxine animals.
| The geosIa CT tie sea-oceaEo-
| grapay" it is cal!ed--began with tle
| laying Of the 'caan cables and was
elevated into rrn h Of science by the
| crure Of the Challenger. Since then
| it has Eeen fond tat there are forty
| three great deep sea valleys. The "a
| cific Ocean. like he Pacific slope. is
the great mountainous region of the
| water world There are twenty-four
| vast valleys concealed beneath 1t.
| The area occupied by these deeps IS
estimated at 1852, 900 geographical
| square miles, or about per cent OF
the water surface of the globe. With
in them over 25) soundings have been
| recorded OF which Wenty-four exceed
$4,000 feet, including three exceeding
| 80, 900 feet Depths exceeding 24,OOO
| feet have been recorded within eight OF
The dceps, viz, in the North Atlantic
within the Mares deep, in the Antarc-
tic within the Ross deep. in the B'nda
Sea with. n the Weber deep, in the
North Pacific within the Challenger.
Tuscarora and Supau deeps, and in the
South Pacific within the Aldrich and
Richards deeps. Depths exceeding &C.
300 feet have been hitherto recorded
only within the Aldrich deep of the
South Pacific, to the east OF the ker-
nadecs and Frien ly Islam S, where
the greatest depth S 3,155 fathcms. or
$50 feet more than five geographical
miles, berg about 1000 feet more te-
low the level Of the sea than the sum-
| mi OF Mount e crest in the Himalay-
as is above it.
| i is estir ated Il at g per cen. OF
| the sea floor has a temperate 10" ei
| .han 40 deg eGts Fahrenheit. The tenn
| perature at the floor Of the Indian
| Ocean is under 50 GscreaS. A similar
| temperature Occurg Cv large !.alt Cl
| the South Atlantic and certain pait>
| Of the Pacific. but at the bottom o. tht
| North AtlaI.t ae.n. and over g urge
| portion Of the Pacific tde tempe allure
IL higher than s. d, grees.