Over the Ocean-bed 



Perhaps slow currents have carried elsewhere 

 the bodies of men who went down with the 

 ship. Or perhaps the bones have succumbed 

 already to the destructive working of ocean- 

 waters. Or perhaps all on board were saved, 

 when the gallant vessel sank. Let us hope 

 that it was so. 



We are leaving the sticky ooze and getting 

 into a region of stiff clay. If there were light 

 enough, we should find it to be of a reddish 

 tint. Here we do find bones remains of 

 creatures of a higher class, though not of man, 

 the highest of all. Here are sharks' teeth in 

 great abundance, and many earbones of whales. 

 Not much, after all, but something that tells 

 of Life. 



Another lofty mountain height under water, 

 rising from the ocean-bed. Shall we climb it, and 

 see whither it may lead us ? Have we not had 

 enough of these black mysterious depths ? 



Now up and up, cautiously feeling our way 

 and using any such glimmers of living light 

 as we come across. By-and-by we find our- 

 selves getting into shallower water. Evidently 

 this sub-ocean mountain approaches near to the 

 surface. It will not end, like the last, a mile or 

 more beneath. 



183 



