THE GULF WEED. 169 
nation,” would be increased if he recollected the theory—not 
altogether impossible, that this sargasso (and possibly some of 
the animals which cling to it), marks the sight of an Atlantic 
continent sunk long ages since; and that, transformed by the 
necessities of life from a rooting to a floating plant, 
*<Still it remembers its august abodes,” 
and wanders ’round and ’round as if in search of the rocks where 
it once grew.” 2 
“‘When fresh out of the water it resembles not a sea weed so 
much as a sprig of a willow leaved shrub, burdened with yellow 
berries, large and small; for every broken bit of it seems growing 
and throwing out ever new berries and leaves—or what for want 
of a better word, must be called leaves in a sea weed. For it 
must be remembered that the frond of a seaweed is not merely 
leaf, but root also; that it not only breathes air, but feeds on 
water; and that even the so-called root by which a seaweed holds 
to the rock is really only an anchor, holding mechanically to the 
stone, but not deriving, as the root of a land plant would, any 
nourishment from it, therefore it is that to grow while uprooted 
and floating, though impossible to most land plants, is easy 
enough to many seaweeds, and especially to the sargasso.” 
The expense of yachting at Nassau is generally apportioned 
per capita, and the charges of the boatmen are quite moderate, 
so that a great deal of enjoyment is thereby secured for a very 
little money. Although there is a good circulation of air on 
. shore, the change to that of the harbor is, when the hot sun is 
well up, a decided improvement, and outside of the barrier keys 
the wind over the ocean seemed more strongly medicated and 
tonic. For sanitary reasons, therefore, we would strongly rec- 
ommend’ Nassau visitors to spend a portion of each pleasant day 
15 
