The Mighty Deep 



perfectly free from earth ; and on all this space 

 not a blade of grass to be seen." 



The same task is carried on by the working 

 of sun-heat, as by the fire under a ketde. All 

 day long in a warm climate the sun's rays are 

 busily at work, lifting from the ocean-surface 

 a continuous stream of fine invisible vapour. 

 The water is drawn up particle by particle, not 

 in masses ; and the sun's rays have no power 

 to lift the ocean-salt, which remains behind, 

 floating still in the sea. 



But when a stronof wind lashes the surface into 

 waves, and rends the tops of billows into fine 

 spray, it often carries a great deal of salt to 

 a distance. We know how salt may be tasted 

 on the lips miles inland, and how windows near 

 the coast become encrusted with it in stormy 

 weather. Movino- air, like movino- water, can 

 carry weight ; and it is thus, through the action 

 of moving air, and not through the heat of the 

 sun, that we have our health-giving breezes off 

 the sea, laden with salt. 



i8 



