444 THE AQUARIAN NATURALIST. 



fury of the waves behind. Here let us stand awhile, 

 and contemplate the vast uproar ; look at the long 

 array of foam-crowned billows stretching far to sea- 

 ward, over which the shrieking gulls, blending their 

 wild screams with the howling blast, wheel to and 

 fro, as though in ecstasy, or ride triumphant o'er the 

 yeasty waves ! 



See ! where is now the rocky reef o'er which we 

 clambered yesterday? far out from land, like a 

 black streak among the wallowing seas; its hidden 

 ridges only traceable by yonder line of breakers, 

 rising like a wall amidst the eddying water, which, 

 as in desperation, hurls itself upon the craggy ob- 

 stacle that dares to interrupt its seemingly resistless 

 course : 



" And it bubbles and seethes, and it hisses and roars, 

 As when fire is with water commix'd and contending ; 

 And the spray of its wrath to the welkin up-soars, 

 And flood upon flood hurries on, never ending ; 

 And, as with the swell of the far thunder-boom, 

 Rushes roaringly forth from the heart of the gloom*." 



A bad day this for the naturalist ! do you say ? 

 By no means ; this furious storm will save us an in- 

 finity of trouble. Let us wait awhile till the retreating- 

 tide enables us to gather up the spoils these waves 

 have reft from their deep hiding in the Laminarian 



* " Und es wallet und siedet und brauset und zischt, 

 Wie wenn Wasser mit Feuer sich mengt, 

 Bis zum Himmel spritzet der dampfende Gischt 

 Und Well' auf Well ohn' Ende drangt, 

 Und wie mit des femen Donners Getose 

 Entstiirzt es brullend deni finstern Schoosse." 



