330 THE PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE SEA. 



615. Ilaving thus discovered that the most frail and delicate 

 A discovery suggest- orgaiiisms of the sea can remain in its depths for 

 ^^^y^*'- an indefinite length of time without showing a 

 single trace of decay, we find ourselves possessed of a fact which 

 suggests many beautiful fancies, some touching thoughts, and a 

 few useful ideas ; and among these last are found reasons for the 

 conjecture that the gutta percha or other insulating material in 

 which the conducting wires of the sub- Atlantic telegraph and 

 other deep-sea lines are incased, becomes, when lodged beyond a 

 certain depth, impervious to the powers of decay ; that, with the 

 weight of the sea upon them, the destructive agents which are so 

 busy in the air can not find room for play. Curious that destruc- 

 tion and decay should be imprisoned and rendered inoperative at 

 the bottom of the great deep ! 



616. Specimens of the "ooze and bottom of the sea" have also 

 Specimens from the becu obtaiucd bv the ingcnuitv of Brooke from the 



three oceans all tell n r^^r^r^ n i • itvt i-r»-r> t 



the same story. depth 01 2700 lathouis lu thc JN orth racmc, and 

 examined by Professor Bailey.*^ We have now had specimens 



must be of fragments which naturally and undoubtedly deposit themselves there. I 

 have considered this final remark necessary, because the distinguished sea-knower in 

 Washington, often so kindly supplying and instructing me with material, has recent- 

 ly, in a report on Sub-oceanic Geography, New York, January 8, 1857, page 5, and 

 yet more in detail in a late private letter, expressed a view opposite to that here laid 

 down by me, in which, however, I can not coincide, for the reasons given above." 

 * " West Point, N. Y., January 29, 1856. 



"My dear Sir, — I have examined with much pleasure the highly interesting 

 specimens collected by Lieutenant Brooke, of the United States Navy, which you 

 kindly sent me for microscopic analysis, and I will now briefly report to you the re- 

 sults of general interest which I have obtained, leaving the enumeration of the or- 

 ganic contents and the description of new species for a more complete account, which 

 I hope soon to publish. The specimens examined by me were as follovrs, viz. : 



"No. 1. Sea bottom, 2700 fathoms; lat. 56° 46' N., long. 168° 18' E. ; brought 

 uj) July 19, 1855, by Lieutenant Brooke, with Brooke's lead. 



"No. 2. Sea bottom, 1700 fathoms; lat. 60° 15' N., long. 170° 53' E. ; brought 

 np as above, July 26, 1855. 



"No. 3. Sea bottom, 900 fathoms; temperature (deep sea) 32°, Saxton ; lat. 60° 

 30' N., long. 175° E. 



' ' A careful study of the above specimens gave the following results : 



"1st. All the specimens contain some mineral matter, which diminishes in pro- 

 portion to the depth, and which consists of minute angular particles of quartz, horn- 

 blende, feldspar^ and mica. 



"2d. In the deepest soundings (No. 1 and No. 2) there is the least mineral mat- 

 ter, the organic contents, which are the same in all, predominating, while the reverse 

 is true of No. 3. 



