SCENES FROM THE COAL PERIOD. 245 



A cataclysm was at hand. The wide expanse of marshy land 

 again went down. Old ocean, which had roared and frothed 

 in rage around the borders of the territory of which he had 

 been dispossessed, came careering back to his old haunts. 

 He brought a freight of mud and sand, and spread it over 

 the whole vast peat-bed as if to make sure of no renewal of 

 the usurpation like those who sow with salt the sites of 

 ruined cities, to make the ruin a ficality. But the salt sowed 

 by resentful ocean was in truth, a packing away of something 

 destined to be saved, not forgotten. It was part of a benefi- 

 cent plan, and the anger of the ocean was made an instru- 

 ment for its accomplishment. Beds of clay and sand shut 

 out from the atmosphere the sheet of peaty matter which was 

 to lie and consolidate to coal. 



The dominion of the ocean was temporary. Apparent re- 

 gress was in truth a forward movement. Again the reeking 

 sea-bottom came up to sunlight, and another scene of bright 

 verdure was spread where late, old ocean had celebrated a 

 jubilee. It looked as if the former forest had undergone a 

 resurrection. Here stood again Lepidodendron in its summer 

 hat, and Sigillaria and the other established forms. But 

 they were other species ; and with them was an occasional 

 new comer among the vegetable types. They understood for 

 what purpose they had been sent. They resumed the work 

 of selecting the impurity from the air. Already, some ad- 

 venturous and hardy types of air-breathers had colonized the 

 jungle. They were sluggish and slimy creatures, with whom 

 life passed slowly, and respiration was a matter of compara- 

 tive indifference. Yet they enjoyed existence. They grazed 

 on the humble herb ; they seized the dragon-fly, alighted to 

 rest his wing ; they violated the home retreats of the passive 

 snails. They crawled out and sunned themselves on the ferny 

 bank. There were grosser and heavier forms, mail-clad and 

 vociferous ; haunting the bayou ; paddling for some eligible 

 fishing station ; bellowing like oxen, when excited in pursuit ; 

 stirring up the mire of the stagnant bay ; resting their chins 

 on the reeking bank to absorb the slanting sun-warmth of the 



