Over the Ocean-bed 



ground, reaching some little way. But the sticky 

 ooze mainly prevails, varied by less sticky mud. 

 And neither ooze nor mud is always of the 

 same description, as we should discover if we 

 walked far and examined specimens from each 

 district. There are muds and muds oozes and 

 oozes. 



Crabs in abundance scuttle over the ground, 

 as we may know by feeling, if we have left our 

 boots behind. And slimy creatures of various 

 kinds flourish, none of them precisely the same 

 as those which inhabit our sea-beaches in regions 

 of light, yet their near relatives. Stooping down, 

 we touch a rough-coated hedgehog ; and then our 

 fingers come into contact with a mass of slimy 

 tentacles, which sting sharply. 



One would like to be able to see, as well as to 

 feel. But into these depths no gleam of sunlight 

 may ever penetrate. 



Yet, as we stroll onward, plodding through 

 the thick plastic ooze, in the pitchy darkness we 

 become aware of a light, a hazy light, drawing 

 near. 



One does not expect to find a lantern down 

 here in the deep ocean- waters. It positively 

 seems to be a lantern, moving as if it had a will 

 of its own. And about the small living lantern, 



179 



