30. THE BED OF THE OCEAN. 69 



to form ranges of hills, which in their progress overwhelm 

 fertile tracts, and engulf churches, and even entire villages. 

 These sand-banks or downs, loose and fluctuating as they 

 are in their first stage of advancement, become under 

 certain circumstances stationary, and are then converted 

 into solid stone, by a process which we shall presently 

 explain. 



30. The bed of the ocean. — But the production of 

 beach, gravel, and sand, on the shores, and the drifting of 

 sand inland, are effects far less important than those which 

 are going on in the profound depths of the ocean. In the 

 tranquil bed of the sea, the finer materials, that were held 

 in chemical or mechanical suspension by the waters, are 

 precipitated and deposited, enveloping and imbedding 

 shells, corals, fishes, &c. together with the remains of such 

 terrestrial animals and vegetables as may be floated down 

 by the streams and rivers. And, in the beautiful language 

 of Mrs. Hemans, — 



" The depths have more ! What wealth untold 



Far down and shining through their stillness lies ! 

 They have the starry gems, the burning gold, 

 Won from a thousand royal argosies ! 



" Yet more— the depths have more ! Their waves have rolled 

 Above the cities of a world gone by — 

 Sand hath filled up the palaces of old, 

 Sea- weed o'ergrown the halls of revelry. 



" To them the love of woman hath gone down, 



Dark flow their tides o'er manhood's noble head, 

 O'er youth's bright locks, and beauty's flowery crown." — 



Yes! in these modern deposits, the remains of man, and of his 

 works, must of necessity be continually engulfed, together 

 with those of the animals which are his contemporaries. 



Of the nature of the present bed of the ocean, we can of 

 course know but little from actual observation. Soundings, 



