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risk； of course； of being blown over to the coast of France； by a
change of wind； there is a risk also of not being able to land at
night on the inhospitable Hastings beach； and of sleeping； as best
you can； on board： but in the long days and settled fine weather
of summer； the trip； in a stout boat； ought to be a safe and a
pleasant one。
On the Diamond you will find many； or most of those gay creatures
which attract your eye in the central row of tanks at the
Zoological Gardens： great twisted masses of Serpulae； （26） those
white tubes of stone； from the mouth of which protrude pairs of
rose…coloured or orange fans； flashing in； quick as light； the
moment that your finger approaches them or your shadow crosses the
water。
You will dredge； too； the twelve…rayed sun…star （Solaster papposa）；
with his rich scarlet armour； and more strange； and quite as
beautiful； the bird's foot star （Palmipes membranaceus）； which you
may see crawling by its thousand sucking…feet in the Crystal Palace
tanks； a pentagonal webbed bird's foot； of scarlet and orange
shagreen。 With him； most probably； will be a specimen of the great
purple heart…urchin （Spatangus purpureus）； clothed in pale lilac
horny spines； and other Echinoderms； for which you must consult
Forbes's 〃British Star…fishes：〃 but perhaps the species among them
which will interest you most； will be the common brittle…star
（Ophiocoma rosula）； of which a hundred or so； I can promise； shall
come up at a single haul of the dredge； entwining their long spine…
clad arms in a seemingly inextricable confusion of 〃kaleidoscope〃
patterns （thanks to Mr。 Gosse for the one right epithet）； purple
and azure； fawn； brown； green； grey； white and crimson； as if a
whole bed of China…asters should have first come to life； and then
gone mad； and fallen to fighting。 But pick out； one by one；
specimens from the tangled mass； and you will agree that no China…
aster is so fair as this living stone…flower of the deep； with its
daisy…like disc； and fine long prickly arms； which never cease
their graceful serpentine motion； and its colours hardly alike in
any two specimens。 Handle them not； meanwhile； too roughly； lest；
whether modesty or in anger； they begin a desperate course of
gradual suicide； and； breaking off arm after arm piecemeal； fling
them indignantly at their tormentor。 Along with these you will
certainly obtain a few of that fine bivalve； the great Scallop；
which you have seen lying on every fishmonger's counter in
Hastings。 Of these you must pick out those which seem dirtiest and
most overgrown with parasites； and place them carefully in a jar of
salt water； where they may not be rubbed； for they are worth your
examination； not merely for the sake of that ring of gem…like eyes
which borders their 〃cloak；〃 lying along the extreme out edge of
the shell as the valves are half open； but for the sake of the
parasites outside： corallines of exquisite delicacy； Plumulariae
and Sertulariae； dead men's hands （Alcyonia）； lumps of white or
orange jelly； which will protrude a thousand star…like polypes； and
the Tubularia indivisa； twisted tubes of fine straw； which ought
already to have puzzled you； for you may pick them up in
considerable masses on the Hastings beach after a south…west gale；
and think long over them before you determine whether the oat…like
stems and spongy roots belong to an animal； or a vegetable。
Animals they are； nevertheless； though even now you will hardly
guess the fact； when you see at the mouth of each tube a little
scarlet flower； connected with the pink pulp which fills the tube。
For a further description of this largest and handsomest of our
Hydroid Polypes； I must refer you to Johnston； or； failing him； to
Landsborough； and go on； to beg you not to despise those pink； or
grey； or white lumps of jelly； which will expand in salt water into
exquisite sea…anemones； of quite different forms from any which we
have found along the rocks。 One of them will certainly be the
Dianthus； （27） which will open into a furbelowed flower； furred
with innumerable delicate tentacula； and in the centre a mouth of
the most delicate orange； the size of the whole animal being
perhaps eight inches high and five across。 Perhaps it will be of a
satiny grey； perhaps pale rose； perhaps pure white； whatever its
colour； it is the very maiden queen of all the beautiful tribe； and
one of the loveliest gems with which it has pleased God to bedeck
this lower world。
These and much more you will find on the scallops； or even more
plentifully on any lump of ancient oysters； and if you do not
dredge； it would be well worth your while to make interest with the
fish…monger for a few oyster lumps； put into water the moment they
are taken out of the trawl。 Divide them carefully； clear out the
oysters with a knife； and put the shells into your aquarium； and
you will find that an oyster at home is a very different thing from
an oyster on a stall。
You ought； besides； to dredge many handsome species of shells；
which you would never pick up along the beach； and if you are
conchologizing in earnest； you must not forget to bring home a tin
box of shell sand； to be washed and picked over in a dish at your
leisure； or forget either to wash through a fine sieve； over the
boat's side； any sludge and ooze which the dredge brings up。 Many
… I may say； hundreds … rare and new shells are found in this way；
and in no other。
But if you cannot afford the expense of your own dredge and boat；
and the time and trouble necessary to follow the occupation
scientifically； yet every trawler and oyster…boat will afford you a
tolerable satisfaction。 Go on board one of these； and while the
trawl is down； spend a pleasant hour or two in talking with the
simple； honest； sturdy fellows who work it； from whom （if you are
as fortunate as I have been for many a year past） you may get many
a moving story of danger and sorrow； as well as many a shrewd
practical maxim； and often； too； a living recognition of God； and
the providence of God； which will send you home； perhaps； a wiser
and more genial man。 And when the trawl is hauled； wait till the
fish are counted out； and packed away； and then kneel down and
inspect （in a pair of Mackintosh leggings； and your oldest coat）
the crawling heap of shells and zoophytes which remains behind
about the decks； and you will find； if a landsman； enough to occupy
you for a week to come。 Nay； even if it be too calm for trawling；
condescend to go out in a dingy； and help to haul some honest
fellow's deep…sea lines and lobster…pots； and you will find more
and stranger things about them than even fish or lobsters： though
they； to him who has eyes to see； are strange enough。
I speak from experience； for it was not so very long ago that； in
the north of Devon； I found sermons； not indeed in stones； but in a
creature reputed among the most worthless of sea…vermin。 I had
been lounging about all the morning on the little pier； waiting；
with the rest of the village； for a trawling breeze which would not
come。 Two o'clock was past； and still the red mainsails of the
skiffs hung motionless； and their images quivered head downwards in
the glassy swell；
〃As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean。〃
It was neap…tide； too； and therefore nothing could be done among
the rocks。 So； in despair； finding an old coast…guard friend
starting for his lobster…pots； I determined to save the old man's
arms； by rowing him up the shore； and then paddled homeward again；
under the high green northern wall； five hundred feet of cliff
furred to the water's edge with rich oak woods； against whose base
the smooth Atlantic swell died whispering； as if curling itself up
to sleep at last within that sheltered nook； tired with its weary
wanderings。 The sun sank lower and lower behind the deer…park
point； the white stair of houses up the glen was wrapped every
moment deeper and deeper in hazy smoke and shade； as the light
faded； the evening fires were lighted one by one； the soft murmur
of the waterfall； and the pleasant laugh of children； and the
splash of homeward oars； came clearer and clearer to the ear at
every stroke： and as we rowed on； arose the recollection of many a
brave and wise friend； whose lot was cast in no such western
paradise； but rather in the infernos of this sinful earth； toiling
even then amid the festering alleys of Bermondsey and Bethnal
Green； to palliate death and misery which they had vainly laboured
to prevent； watching the strides of that very cholera which they
had been striving for years to ward off； now re…admitted in spite
of all their warnings； by the carelessness； and laziness； and greed
of sinful man。 And as I thought over the whole hapless q