ITS SECRETS. ] 5 



bloody decks, the blazing vessels, or the final hiss 

 of the sinking wrecks. 



Among the latter kind of secrets are the lives 

 and habits of "the creatures of the deep, and the 

 causes and effects of those singular currents of 

 air and water, which, to the eye of ignorance, seem 

 to be nothing better than irregularity and con- 

 fusion; but which, to the minds of those who search 

 them out, and have pleasure therein, are recognised 

 as a part of that wonderful, orderly, and systematic 

 arrangement of things that we call Nature : much of 

 which we now know, more of whiclu we shall cer- 

 tainly know, as each day and year adds its quota 

 to the sum of human knowledge ; but a great deal 

 of which will, doubtless, remain for ever hidden in 

 the mind of nature's God, whose ways are wonder- 

 ful, and past finding out. It is the latter class 

 of secrets to which we purpose directing the 

 reader's attention in the following pages. 



On approaching so vast a subject, we feel like 

 the traveller who, finding himself suddenly trans- 

 ported into the midst of a new and magnificent 

 region, stands undecided whither to direct his steps 

 in the endlessly varied scene. Or, still more, like 

 the visitor to our great International Exhibition of 

 1862, who, entering abruptly that gigantic palace, 

 where were represented the talent, the ingenuity, 

 the wealth, and industry of every people and 

 clime, attempts, in vain, to systematize his ex- 

 plorations, or to fix his attention. It is probable 



