Boggy solitudes of Nantucket . ke a thousand pounds: forthe money will soon be spent, or may feel nojoy in spending it; but the interest remains imperishableand ever new. To become a botanist, a geologist, a socialphilosopher, an antiquary, or an artist, is to enlarge onespossessions in the universe by an incalculably higher degree,and by a far surer sort of property, than to purchase afarm of many acres.—Stevenson. CHAPTER VIII OME years ago therewas a wonderful mat,of good size, on thebeach, between thetall, graceful, wavingbeach grass and theocean. It was wovenby the Mertensia m
Boggy solitudes of Nantucket . ke a thousand pounds: forthe money will soon be spent, or may feel nojoy in spending it; but the interest remains imperishableand ever new. To become a botanist, a geologist, a socialphilosopher, an antiquary, or an artist, is to enlarge onespossessions in the universe by an incalculably higher degree,and by a far surer sort of property, than to purchase afarm of many acres.—Stevenson. CHAPTER VIII OME years ago therewas a wonderful mat,of good size, on thebeach, between thetall, graceful, wavingbeach grass and theocean. It was wovenby the Mertensia mar-itima, or sea lung-wort, whose spread-ing leaves of rich,dark purple and palebluish-green—on which were the delicateflowers, from the pinkest buds to purplish,and light blue, and occasionally white—blended so harmoniously with the pale graysand. To-day there is no trace of the merten-sia at this pot, but a mile or so farther alonga new plant has inaugurated the good work ofmaking mats on the gray sand of the beach. 79. 80 BOGGY SOLITUDES OF NANTUCKET Strolling along, one finds kelp strewn amidtempting pieces of driftwood, crab shells,skates eggs, pieces of sponge, stones of allcolors washed into curious shapes, horseshoecrabs, and, occasionally, the breast-bone ofa bird, bleached snow-white. There arepenny shells, said to have been used bythe Indians for money; pilgrim shells, sonumerous in the harbors; cradles, loved bythe children; toe nails, razors, and manyothers. Occasionally there are sea urchinsand star fish, and we have had one Portugueseman-of-war, that had lost none of its beauty,having all the fainbow tints given by the sur-face polarization of the light. In no part of the United States are morebeautiful seaweeds found, and those who havethe necessary skill and patience can make rarecollections of these gifts of Father Ocean. Inwith these the huge devils apron-stringsappear at times—a fleshy growth, severalyards long, the leaves are crinkled on the edgeand
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