234 THE WORLD. 



strata, imbedding numerous fossils, as the sedimentary deposit of 

 an ancient ocean, the statement will not appear incredible. The 

 force of the current of the Amazon extends out into the ocean to 

 a distance of three hundred miles from its mouth, and when we 

 remember how long the mud and fine sand remains suspended 

 even in quiet water, we shall not be surprised to learn that parti- 

 cles brought down from the interior of South America, are per- 

 haps deposited in the Mexican Gulf; for where the great equato- 

 rial current from the coast of Guinea crosses the waters of the 

 Amazon, it runs with a velocity of four miles an hour. Vast 

 quantities of drift wood and rubbish are thus carried as far as the 

 mouths of the Orinoco, and are increasing the island of Trini- 

 dad. It is the opinion of many distinguished philosophers that 

 the Isthmus of Suez, which now separates the Mediterranean 

 and the Red Sea, is a recent formation, it is at least quite certain 

 that the isthmus is receiving continual accessions on the Medi- 

 terranean side. The change of coast, the loss of cities, the for- 

 mation of bays, .the filling up of estuaries and washing away of 

 islands, important as these changes may be, are nevertheless, of 

 less moment than the processes going on in the depths of the 

 sea ; far below, where the waters are never disturbed by the 

 storms and winds, which lash the surface into fury, a quiet de- 

 posit is going on, in this are now being imbedded the various 

 forms of animal existence which are borne down to the bottom of 

 the ocean. Nor are these all, the wealth of man has gone down, 

 and lies hurried deep with his bones in the undisturbed strata. 

 At some distant epoch, when the present ocean bed shall be up- 

 heaved, perhaps some patient investigator will exhume the fossils, 

 and moralize upon the eventful change which passeth over all 

 things. We cannot close this chapter better than with the beau- 

 tiful language of Mrs. Hemans : 



The depths have more ! What wealth untold 



Far down and shining through their stillness lies ! 

 They have the starry gems, the burning gold, 

 Won from a thousand royal argosies ! 



Yet more the depths have more ! Their waves have roll'd 



Above the cities of a world gone by 

 Sand hath filled up the palaces of old, 



Sea-weed o'ergrown the halls of revelry." 



