COLOUR OF THE OCEAN. 63 



suspension many vegetable species, animals of various 

 strange forms and every size, and a great mass of 

 indescribable debris Avashed away from the coasts. 

 Too often also the tnmbled waters toss to and fro the 

 broken remains of ships destroyed by the tempests 

 which in certain regions are of frequent occurrence. 



5. Colour of Sea-water — To what extent influenced by matters lield 

 in suspension, by the Bottom of the Sea, and by the agitation 

 of the Water. 



What is the colour of sea -water ? Captain Scoresby 

 likens the general aspect of glacial seas to the blue 

 of the deep ocean. Tlie finest indigo, or celestial 

 blue, represents, according to M. Oostoz, the colour 

 of the Mediterranean. The Atlantic has displayed 

 to the eyes of Captain Tuckey a tint so rich, that he 

 has tried to satisly his sense of poetical justice by 

 calling it a living azure. Taking a hint from these 

 various expressions, we are disposed to think the sea 

 has the same colour as fresh water running from a 

 bed of snow or a glacier. When the quantity is 

 small, such water indeed appears to be colourless ; but 

 when a great volume of it is seen, it assumes a 

 beautiful blue colour. 



The Ocean always presents this reflected blue, more 

 or less deep in tint — that is to say, more or IcbS 

 mingled with white light — if the causes already 



