Page:Physical Geography of the Sea and its Meteorology.djvu/163

Rh developed. There, as the gorgeous 'eye of day' rises almost perpendicularly from the sea with fiery ardour, in a cloudless sky, it is greeted by the volcanoes with a column of white smoke, which, ascending from the conical summits high in the firmament above, forms a crown, or assumes the shape of an immense bouquet," that they seem to offer to the dawn; then the joyful land breeze plays over the flood, which, in the torrid zone, furnishes, with its fresh breath, so much enjoyment to the inhabitants of that sultry belt of the earth, for, by means of it, everything is refreshed and beautified. Then, under the influence of the glorious accompaniments of the break of day, the silence of the night is awakened, and we hear commencing everywhere the morning hymn of mute nature, whose gesticulation is so expressive and sublime. All that lives feels the necessity of pouring"; forth, each in its way, and in various tones and accents, from the depths of inspiration, a song of praise. The air, still filled with the freshness of the evening dew, bears aloft the enraptured song, as, mingled with the jubilee tones which the contemplation of nature everywhere forces from the soul, it gushes forth in deep earnestness to convey the daily thank-offering over the sea, over hill and dale. As the sun ascends the sky, the azure vault is bathed in dazzling light; now the land breeze, wearied with play, goes to rest. Here and there it still plays over the water, as if it could not sleep; but finally becoming exhausted, it sinks to repose in the stillness of the calm. But not so with the atmosphere: it sparkles, and glitters, and twinkles, becoming clear under the increasing heat, while the gentle swelling of the now polished waves reflects, like a thousand mirrors, the rays of light which dance and leap to the tremulous but vertical movements of the atmosphere. Like pleasant visions of the night, that pass before the mind in sleep, so do sweet phantoms hover about the land breeze as it slumbers upon the sea. The shore seems to approach and to display all its charms to the mariner in the offing. All objects become distinct and more clearly delineated, In the very fine mist of the morning, a noise—for example, the firing of cannon—at a short distance is scarcely heard, while at midday, with the sea-breeze, it penetrates for miles with great distinctness.—