The Mighty Deep 



balanced that the water can lie still. And at 

 most the stillness is comparative. Even in a 

 so-called " dead calm " gentle heavings to and 

 fro will be found. Absolute placidity in the 

 ocean is a thing unknown. 



Even when the waters are at their stillest 

 they are always being drawn steadily towards 

 Earth's centre. A perfectly level ocean would 

 mean each portion of its surface being equally 

 distant from that centre. The ocean ever strives 

 after this ideal, but never attains to it ; yet, 

 century after century that aim is pursued, with 

 a perseverance which might afford a lesson to 

 ourselves. 



Despite all this change and restlessness, we 

 talk of the ocean having a "level " surface. We 

 picture it to our minds as being in outer shape 

 the same as that of the Earth a sphere. But 

 this is not strictly true to fact. 



If we could look upon the Earth, with large 

 far-seeing eyes, from a few thousands of miles 

 off, we should find curious irregularities in the 

 watery outline. Instead of showing all round a 

 smooth surface, the ocean would be found to 

 rise here and sink there, to be in one part 

 higher, in another part lower. A man roving 

 over the ocean, all about the Earth, would 



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