THE OPEN SEA 



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If the ocean surface is very smooth, one 

 may occasionally see at sunset the double sun 

 that is, the sun's reflection as a round, fiery light 

 in the water, just below the sun itself on the 

 western horizon. If the water is ruffled, we 

 have, instead of the round light, a long flicker- 

 ing pathway across the waves. It takes the 

 coloring of the sun, and is in fact only its 

 broken reflection. When the sun is high up in 

 the heavens and is beating down diagonally on 

 slightly ruffled water, this pathway is less 

 marked in color, but broader and more brilliant 

 in light. At times when looking at it with 

 half -closed eyes one can see, or at least imagine, 

 the sun's rays striking the water like shot and 

 splashing up light by the impact. The long 

 trail of moonlight on the ocean which we all 

 love to watch, and think about romantically as 

 the same moonlight shining on the river at 

 home, is a similar appearance, only the light is 

 feebler and more mellow, and the apparent 

 splash of the falling rays striking the water is 

 not so noticeable. 



Cloud-shadows are as conspicuous on ruffled 

 water as upon the land, and the number of color- 

 changes on the sea surface caused by clouds 

 is little short of astonishing. Sometimes these 



