444 THE AQUARIAN NATURALIST. 



fury of the waves behind. Here let us stand awhile, 

 and contemplate the vast uproar ; look at the long 

 array of foam- crowned billows stretching far to sea- 

 ward, over which the shrieking gulls, blending their 

 wild screams with the howling blast, wheel to and 

 fro, as though in ecstasy, or ride triumphant o'er the 

 yeasty waves ! 



See ! where is now the rocky reef o'er which we 

 clambered yesterday? far out from land, like a 

 black streak among the wallowing seas; its hidden 

 ridges only traceable by yonder line of breakers, 

 rising like a wall amidst the eddying water, which, 

 as in desperation, hurls itself upon the craggy ob- 

 stacle that dares to interrupt its seemingly resistless 

 course : 



" And it bubbles and seethes, and it hisses and roars, 

 As when fire is with water commix'd and contending ; 

 And the spray of its wrath to the welkin up-soars, 

 And flood upon flood hurries on, never ending ; 

 And, as with the swell of the far thunder-booni, 

 Rushes roaringly forth from the heart of the gloom*." 



A bad day this for the naturalist ! do you say ? 

 By no means ; this furious storm will save us an in- 

 finity of trouble. Let us wait awhile till the retreating- 

 tide enables us to gather up the spoils these waves 

 have reft from their deep hiding in the Laminarian 



* " Und es wallet und siedet und brauset und zischt, 

 Wie wenn Wasser rnit Feuer sich mengt, 

 Bis zum Hinimel spritzet der dampfende Gischt 

 Und Well' auf Well ohn' Ende drangt, 



O / 



Und wie mit des fernen Donners Getose 

 Entstiirzt es brlillend deni flnstern Schoosse." 



