228 THE OCEAN. 



in long, flat, wrinkled fronds of a semi-transparent 

 brown hue. I have already spoken of the Gulf- weed 

 (Sargassum vulgare), as being met with in particular 

 parts of the Altantic: similar collections of it occur 

 also in these and other seas, and much mystery 

 seems to lie about its origin and mode of growth. 

 From specimens having been found with roots, it 

 appears certain that in a living state it is attached 

 to the bottom, whence it is not impossible that it 

 may be detached spontaneously at a certain period 

 of its growth, that the seed-vessels may be perfected 

 by exposure to light and air. Near the shores sea- 

 weeds are found so uniformly growing to rocks as 

 to form a very valuable, indication of the presence 

 of hidden dangers. These appear to be chiefly of 

 the former kind. 



To these remote and inhospitable seas many ves- 

 sels are annually despatched from this country, as 

 well as from the United States, in pursuit of various 

 species of Seals, and of the Sperm Whale. To obtain 

 the former, they resort to any of the small islands 

 which are scattered over the southern part of the 

 Atlantic and Pacific, but particularly those which lie 

 around Cape Horn. These animals yield two valu- 

 able products, oil and fur; but not indiscriminately, 

 the oil being afforded by the Elephant Seal (Macro- 

 rhinus proboscideus), a singular animal, of large size; 

 being often seen thirty feet long, and eighteen round 

 at the thickest part. A very remarkable formation 

 of the snout has given the distinctive name to this 

 species. At a certain season of the year, in the 

 adult males, the skin of the tip of the nose, which 



