186 HI3T011Y OF 



deepest waters ; all less impediments having long since been 

 surmounted and washed away. Perhaps of all the shores in the 

 world, there is not one so high as that on the west of rft Kilda, 

 which, upon a late admeasurement,' was found to be six hundred 

 fathoms perpendicular above the surface of the sea. Here also, 

 the sea is deep, turbulent, and stormy ; so that it requires great 

 fori'e in the shore to oppose its violence. In many parts of the 

 world, and particularly upon the coasts of the East Indies, the 

 shores, though not high above water, are generally very deep, 

 and consequently the waves roll against the land with great 

 weight and irregularity. This rising of the waves against the 

 shore, is called by mariners the swfofthe sea ; and in shipwrecks 

 is generally fatal to such as attempt to swim on shore. In this 

 case no dexterity in the swimmer, no float he can use, neither 

 swimming-girdle nor cork-jacket, will save him j the weight of 

 the superincumbent waves breaks upon him at once, and crushes 

 him with certain ruin. Some few of the natives, however, have 

 the ait of swimming and of navigating their little boats near 

 those shores, where an European is sure of instant destruction. 

 In places where the force of the sea is less violent, or its tides 

 less rapid, the shores are generally seen to descend with a more 

 gradual declivity. Over these, the waters of the tide steal by 

 almost imperceptible degrees, covering them for a large extent, 

 iind leaving them bare on its recess. Upon these shores, as was 

 said, the sea seldom beats with any great violence, as a large 

 wave has not depth sufficient to float it onwards, so that here 

 only are to be seen gentle surges making calmly towards land, 

 and lessening as they approach. As the sea, in the former des- 

 cription, is generally seen to present prospects of tumult and 

 uproai, here it more usiially exhibits a scene of repose and tran- 

 juil beautv. Its waters which, when surveyed from the preci- 

 .)ice, afrorded a muddy greenish hue, arising from their depth 

 and position to the eye,- when regarded from a shelving shore, 

 wear the colour of the sky, and seem rising to meet it. The 

 ieafening noise of the deep sea, is here converted into gentle 

 nurni urs ; instead of the waters dashing against the face of the 

 •"ock, it advances and recedes, still going forward, but with just 



1 Description of St Kilda. 2 Newton's Optic?, p. I6.3~l(n. 



