The Cruise of the Betsey

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Gould and Lincoln, 1858 - Geology - 524 pages

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Page 41 - Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night. And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than six score thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle...
Page 367 - In front of the opening, with but a black deep pool between, there lies a mid-way bank of huge stones. Of these, not a few of the more angular masses still bear, though sorely worn by the torrent, the mark of the blasting iron, and were evidently tumbled into the chasm from the fields above. But in the chasm there was no rest for them, and so the arrowy rush of the water in the confined channel swept them down, till they dropped where they now lie, just where the widening bottom first served to dissipate...
Page 236 - Beyond the shadow of the ship I watched the water-snakes; • They moved in tracks of shining white; And when they reared, the elfish light Fell off in hoary flakes. Within the shadow of the ship I watched their rich attire — Blue, glossy green, and velvet black, They coiled and swam; and every track Was a flash of golden fire.
Page 233 - Europe, in which there was any thing new or strange to be seen; nay\ to such a degree was my curiosity raised, that having read the controversies of some great men concerning the antiquities of Egypt, I made a voyage to Grand Cairo, on purpose to take the measure of a pyramid...
Page 134 - ... golden talents to perfection wrought, A silver bowl that held a copious draught, And twelve large vessels of unmingled wine, Mellifluous, undecaying, and divine! Which now, some ages from his race conceal'd, The hoary sire in gratitude reveal'd. Such was the wine: to quench whose fervent steam Scarce twenty measures from the living stream To cool one cup sufficed: the goblet crown'd Breathed aromatic fragrances around.
Page iii - The Cruise of the Betsey ; or, A Summer Ramble among the Fossiliferous Deposits of the Hebrides. With Rambles of a Geologist ; or, Ten Thousand Miles over the Fossiliferous Deposits of Scotland.
Page 78 - Gray visited this place, he heard at the end of a quarter of an hour a low continuous murmuring sound beneath his feet, which gradually changed into pulsations as it became louder, so as to resemble the striking of a clock. In five minutes it became so strong as to resemble the striking of a clock, and even to detach the sand.
Page 88 - When the flood after the storm subsided, there were found on that place, and the shores adjacent, 1840 sheep, nine black cattle, three horses, two men, one woman, forty-five dogs, and one hundred and eighty hares, besides a number of meaner animals.
Page 47 - And yet it is just possible, that in the case of at least M'Culloch's picture, the brown varnish might do no manner of harm. But a homelier sketch, traced out on almost the same leading lines, with just a little less of the aerial in it, may have nearly the same subduing effect ; I have, besides, a few curious touches to lay in, which seem hitherto to have escaped observation and the pencil ; and in these several circumstances must lie my apology for adding one sketch more to the sketches existing...
Page 75 - I struck it obliquely with my foot, where the surface lay dry and incoherent in the sun, and the sound elicited was a shrill, sonorous note, somewhat resembling that produced by a waxed thread, when tightened between the teeth and the hand, and tipped by the nail of the forefinger.

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