THE BREAKERS. SHELLS AND snELL--^ORK. 65 



meditate upon the question of its desirableness as a summer resi- 

 dence, with a cyclone outside traveling at the rate of one hundred 

 miles an hour. For we well knew that at times, not only 



" The startled waves leap over it ; the storm 

 Smites it with all the scourges of the rain, 

 But steadily against its solid form 

 Press the great shoulders of the hurricane." 



As we saw it on that occasion, we realized more than ever be- 

 fore its great importance, and the l)cneficence of its mission. 

 We seemed to hear its hopeful and inspiring voice above the roar 

 of the angry breakers. 



" 'Sail on!' it said, 'sail on, ye stately ships,' 



And with your floating bridge the ocean span, 

 Be mine to guard this light from all eclipse, 

 Be yours to bring man nearer unto man!" 



The Bahamas offer special attractions to the conchologist. 

 Their waters abound with a great variety of liandsome shell-fish, 

 and the shells, prof usely scattered along the shores of the islands 

 and keys, as the tides ebb, are exquisitely beautiful in form and 

 color. They are mostly small, and so delicate and varied that 

 with them the natives have long been accustomed to make vari- 

 ous articles for the adornment of persons and parlors. They 

 display much ingenuity and taste, and are said to be, if not su- 

 perior, at least unsurpassed in this department of indnstrial 

 esthetics. Some of the products of their skill, as well as shells 

 that have been simply gathered from the beach and cured, are 

 most always to be found for sale in the court of the hotel. Also 

 delicate ornaments ingeniously made from the small scales of 

 fish. 



In this connection, the conchs deserve special notice, as in the 



