678 



HISTORY OF THE SEA. 



floor of the sea rises like a golden carpet inclining gently to 

 the surface, in appearance. This is perhaps the first thing 

 which calls attention to the fact that he is in a new medium, and 

 that the familiar light comes altered in its nature. Looking 

 horizontally around him a new and beautiful wealth of color 

 is seen. It is at first a delicate blue, but it soon deepens into 

 a rich violet. As the eye dwells upon it, it darkens to indigo, and 

 deepens into a vivid blue-black, solid and adamantine. It is 

 all around him, he seems encased in the solid masonry of the 

 waters. 



The transfiguration of familiar objects is curiously wonder- 

 ful. The hulk of the ship seems encrusted with emerald and 

 flossy mosses, and glittering with diamonds, gold, and all man- 

 ner of precious stones. A pile of brick becomes a huge hill 

 of crystal, decked with jewels. A ladder becomes silver, 

 ci usted with emeralds. The spars, the masts, and yards, when- 

 ever a point or angle catches the light, multiply the reflected 

 splendor. Every shadow gives the impression of a bottomless 

 depth. The sea seems loop-holed with cavities that pierce the 

 solid globe. There is no gradation of perspective. 



In the mouth of a great river, the light is affected with the 

 various densities of the different media. At the proper depth, 

 the line is clearly seen where these meet, sharply defined. The 

 salt water sinks to the bottom, and over it flows the fresh wa- 

 ter of the river. If this last contains much sediment, it ob 

 scures the depths like a cloud. In freshets, this becomes a 

 total darkness. Even on a clear, sunshiny day, and in clear 

 water, the shadow of any object in the sea is unlike any shade 

 n the atmosphere. It throws a black curtain over what ifc 

 covers, entirely obscuring it. Standing within the shadow, is 

 ike looking out from a dark tunnel; around, everything is 

 dark, while things in the distance can be seen clearly. 



The cabin of a sunken vessel is dark beyond any ordinary 

 conception of darkness, nor do its windows, though they may 



