130 THE OCEAX. 



BOOK ly.— THE SHORES AND ISLANDS. 



CHAPTER XYI. 



INCESSANT MODIFICATIONS OF THE COAST-LINE, — THE FJORDS OF SCANDINAVIA AND 

 OTHER COUNTRIES NEAR THE POLES. 



The soa, every wave of wliicli contains perhaps thousands of living 

 organisms, seems itself to be animated by a vast and mighty life. 

 Ever-changing hues, dark as fog or brilliant as the sun, pass over its 

 immense extent, its surface ripples in long undulations, or rises in 

 bristling waves ; its shores are touched with a border of foam, or 

 disappear under the white mass of breaking surf. Sometimes it 

 breathes a scarcely audible murmur, and again it combines in very 

 thunder the roarings of all its waves dashed and broken by the 

 tempest. By turns it is smiling and terrible, gracious and formidable. 

 Its aspect fascinates us ; and as we walk along its shores, it is im- 

 possible to avoid contemplating and interrogating it ceaselessly. 

 Ever moving, it symbolizes life, in distinction to the silent and passive 

 earth which it assaults with its waves. And besides, is it not alwaj^s 

 untiringly at work to modify the contour of the continents, after hav- 

 ing once formed them layer by layer in the depth of its waters ? 



The most important part of the geological labours of the ocean is 

 hidden from our eyes ; for it is at the bottom of its abysses that the 

 sea deposits the silica, limestone, chalk, and conglomerates of every 

 kind which will one day constitute new lands. But at least we can 

 witness the continual modifications to which the incessant movement 

 of the sea subjects the shores. These modifications are consider- 

 able, and during the historical ages a number of coasts have already 

 completely changed their form and aspect. Promontories have been 

 razed, while at other parts points have advanced into the waves ; 

 islands have been transformed into reefs ; others have been entirely 

 swallowed up ; others again joined to the mainland. The sinuous 



