44 THE SEA-SIDE AND AQUARIUM. 



equally abundant. Dark, ugly forms dart past us, 

 with bright, cold eyes and glancing teeth, that we 

 never wish to look upon any more. Then there are 

 gnarled trunks of what were once noble forest trees, 

 still clinging with strong roots to their native soil,* 

 that has been for ages submerged under water. The 

 sun once shone on those leafless branches; birds sung 

 and nestled among them. In place of such occu- 

 pants, a sea-plant now waves or a mollusc creeps ; 

 or frightened bands of small fish fly for shelter, as 

 sparrow and thrush from hawk or heron did before : 

 for, in the sea as elsewhere, authority is still main- 

 tained by 



" the simple plan, 



That they should take who have the power, 

 And they should keep who can." 



But now we stumble across something that recalls 

 other associations. That anchor is, perhaps, the sole 

 existing fragment of what was once a noble ship ; and 

 our sea journey assumes a sadness that it had not 

 when we set out. We are reminded of what the 

 poet says : 



" Shipwrecks and their spoils, 

 The wealth of merchants, the artillery 

 Of war, the chains of captives, and the gems 

 That gleam'd upon the brow of beauty; crowns 

 Of monarchs, swords of heroes, anchors lost 

 That never had let go their hold in storms; 

 Helms, sunk in ports, that steer'd adventurous barks 

 Round the wide world." .... 



* Vide Appendix. 



