The Mighty Deep 



Earth combined pour every year into the sea a 

 mass of water equal to about six thousand five 

 hundred cubic miles. This would suffice to fill a 

 vast tank, one mile broad, one mile deep, reaching 

 the whole way from the north of Scotland to the 

 south of Africa. 



" All the rivers run into the sea ; yet the sea 

 is not full." It does not overflow its limits. And 

 long ago as King Solomon wrote these words, 

 he was able to give the reason. " Unto the place 

 from whence the rivers come, thither they return 

 again." 



The ocean receives these generous gifts from 

 the land, only to be generous in return. That 

 which the ocean freely accepts she gives again, 

 lavishly and royally, Enormous supplies of water 

 are needed on land, and it is the work of the 

 ocean to meet that need. 



Throughout the world, and especially within 

 the tropics, a constant drying up of the sea- 

 surface is going on. This passing away of 

 visible water out of sight is, like countless other 

 everyday events, very extraordinary ; though we 

 think nothing of it because of its familiarity. 



A tumbler of water is spilt upon a boarded 

 floor. "Oh, never mind," says a careless voice. 

 " It will soon dry up." Yes, of course it will ; 



92 



