The Mighty Deep 



been put together, under water. Soft undula- 

 tions were made in the wet sand by one high 

 tide, becoming in a measure hardened before 

 the next high tide, and so keeping their shapes, 

 while a fresh supply of sand was dropped upon 

 them, partaking of the same outlines. 



As time passed, more and more sand would 

 be thus deposited, the ground probably sinking 

 and the weight of sand increasing, until the 

 lower layers had stiffened into rock. In after 

 days a slow upheaval of the ground came about, 

 and where ocean waters had flowed would be 

 dry land. 



By-and-by who can say how long after ? 

 the ripple-marked slabs of sandstone, petrified 

 memorials of the past, would be found ; perhaps 

 far inland, if the country had risen much ; perhaps 

 in a quarry by a young Scotch working-lad, 

 to be marvelled over as a specimen of old 

 Ocean's bygone work. 



Another such token of the past is found in 

 hardened raindrop traces, impressed on solid 

 sandstone. 



The rain fell on a soft sandy shore, making 

 tiny holes in the sand, with splashed-up ridges 

 round each small hole. Have we not all seen 

 this ? If not, we might have used our eyes 



126 



