c. Offered is a rare early book entitled The Water World by Prof J. W. Van Dervoort. Union Publishing House, NY 1886. 512 pages + hard bound cover, profusely illustrated (77 engravings). SEE TABLE OF CONTENTS AFTER ALL PHOTOS BELOW. With fold out map of the Polar Basin, map has a tear on binding edge. 

A Popular Treatise On the Broad, Broad Ocean. Its Laws; Its Phenomena; Its Products and Its Inhabitants; Graphically Describing Its Currents, Tides, Waves; Its Whirlpools, Water-Spouts Typhoons and Trade Winds; Its Coral Reefs, Pearls, Shells, Sponges, Fisheries; Its Animal Life, Minute and Mammoth, from the Butterflies of Sub-Marine Forests and Meadows, to Sharks, Whales, and Sea Dragons; with Chapters on Steamships, Lighthouses, Life-Saving Service &C., &C., &C.

From the Intro: ”Very little, comparatively, has heretofore been written on this subject. This is most singular when it is considered that this majestic ocean covers more than three-fourths of the entire globe....

It has been our aim to write for the people and by avoiding technical terms clothe the subject in such language as shall make it interesting and easily comprehended by all. We have endeavored to fill these pages, not with dry and uninteresting facts compiled from the cyclopedia, but with living, breathing thoughts...

In the chapter entitled 'The Frozen Ocean,' will be found something new respecting late expeditions, and much that is of varied and thrilling interest. In the consideration of "Deep Sea Dredging" and the "Beds of the Waters" we have taken advantage of researches prosecuted by late Government expeditions, in arriving at the conclusions presented to the reader..."

Cover is aqua cloth over boards with gold foil. Some wear, mainly to edges and corners, spine missing section at head. Good condition for age. Missing frontis and pages before title page. Some light foxing throughout, no writing, moisture spot obc. It measures 6" x 8 3/8" x 1 3/4". A wonderful find.

Table of Contents:

I. The Ocean - Its Laws and Elements
The sea a laboratory - The saltness of the ocean - The Gulf Stream, the great "weather breeder" of the North Atlantic - Luminosity of the sea - Divisions of the ocean

II. The Frozen Ocean
Human endurance of cold - Esquimaux - Arctic voyagers - Ice dwellings - Sir John Franklin, his sad end - Discovery of the Northwest passage - Dangers from floating ice - Frozen to death - The "Polaris" - The Jeannette Expedition - Polar Stations - The Greeley Expedition

III. Icebergs
Icebergs among the wonders of the ocean world - Imitating every style of architecture - Birthplaces of icebergs - Dangers from icebergs on their floating voyages - Awful sublimity of floating ice mountains - Supposed loss of the "President" and other vessels from collisions with icebergs - Danger of mooring vessels to icebergs - A picnic on an iceberg - Beautiful provision of Nature

IV. Life in the Ocean
Mystery of life - Death is the foster mother of life - The ocean in its profoundest depth - Seashore deposits - Source of great wealth

V. Minute Animal Life
Animals in a drop of water - Seaweeds - Jellyfish - Seaworms - Sea mouse - Nereids - White rag worms - Sea leech - "Jumping Johnnies" - Butterflies of the deep

VI. Coral - the Rock Builders
Its curious form in the ocean - Coral wonders described - Qualities and varieties of coral described - Manufacture of false coral - Superstitions regarding the changing of color - Perils of the coral reefs – ((b b n p antiques)) An incident of shipwreck

VII. Pearls
Perilous employment of divers - Characteristics of pearl divers - Shark charmers - Cingalese divers - Extent of the pearl fishery at Ceylon - Suppositions respecting pearls - Names applied to various kinds - Largest pearls on record

VIII. Sponges
Ancient use of the sponge for helmets - Sponge fishery at the island of Calymnos - Numbers of persons engaged in the sponge fishery - Depths at which sponges are found - Methods pursued in diving

IX. Seals
Divisions of labor by the Esquimaux - Ancient superstitions - Use of blubber - Methods of capturing the seals - The sea-calf - Enemies of seal - The hoop-seal - The fur seal - Seals fond of music - Tame seals - The marbled seal - Sea elephants - Sea lions

X. Whales - the Monarchs of the Ocean
Peculiarities in whales - Description - Whalebone - Tongue of the whale - The blubber - Quantity of oil taken from a whale - Anecdotes relative to capture - Different species - Fight between a whale and a grampus - Attachment of whales to their young

XI. The Whale Fishery and its Perils
Description of ships employed in the whale fishery - The harpoon - Struggles of the whale - Incident to the Essex in the Pacific Ocean - Incident in the Pacific to the whaling vessel Independence - Loss of the Princess Charlotte - Wonderful escape of the Trafalgar - Calamities of a whaling squadron

XII. Sharks - the Pirates of the Ocean
Fossil sharks - The white shark - Its extreme voracity - Horrible tragedy - Its preference for human flesh - (b b n p antiques)  Habit of bounding out of the sea - Punishing a shark - Manner of catching sharks in the South Sea Islands - Worship of sharks - Fearful incident to the crew of the "Magpie" - Types of shark - Pilot fish

XIII. Seahorses and Narwhals
The morse walrus or sea-horse - Immense slaughter of them - For what purposes - Ferocity when attached - Battles between the walrus and the Polar bear - The sword fish a fierce enemy - Sea unicorn - Playfulness - Its speed

XIV. Nautili - the Floating Navigators of the Ocean
The "ocean mab" and "fairy of the sea" - Real method of its propulsion - A wonderful builder - Their stinging properties - Ammonite - The cuttle fish - Belongs to a period before the flood

XV. Modes of Fishing in Various Countries
Use of nets - Fishing by electric light - Singular mode of taking needle fish - Eel fishing - Cod fishery on the banks of Newfoundland - The turtle, modes of taking them - Crabs - Oyster farming - Lobsters

XVI. Odds and Ends about Fishes
Strange and varied characters of fishes - The electric eel - The sting ray - Devil Fish - Skates - Dolphins - The John Dory - The Archer - Parrot fish - The sea horse - Beauty of colors intended for the admiration of man

XVII. Shells
Conchology - Shells formerly regarded as toys - The harp shell - The cowry - Beautiful and rare shells found on the coasts of Australia - Deep sea shells - Lowest part of the earth consist of shell remains - Shells used for making roads - Trumpet shell - Giant clams

XVIII. Sea Birds
The gull family - Tricks played by seamen on gulls - The albatross - (b b n p antiques)  Puffin or sea parrot - The penguins - The pelican - The great sea eagles - The frigate bird - The Booby

XIX. Superstitions Connected with the Ocean
Seamen naturally superstitious - Phantom ship - Power of raising tempests at sea by witchcraft - Wind pillars - Apparitions at sea - Rats leaving a ship - Omens for good or evil - Carrying dead bodies in ships - Curious reflections - Sea divinities of ancient times

XX. Marine Prodigies
The Kraken a wonderful sea monster - Able to pull men-of-war to the bottom of the ocean - The sea serpent - Mermaids - Icelandic description of a mermaid - The manatee - The dugong - The stellerus - A mermaid shown in London in 1822

XXI. Monsters of the Deep - Sea Dragons
Gigantic reptiles inhabiting the ocea before the deluge - Limestone rocks at Lyme Regis - Head like a crocodile - Numerous immense teeth - The plesiosaurus - Its habits described - The teleosaurus - The great pirate of the ocean - Able to swallow animals as large as an ox - The moesusaurus

XXII. Submarine Scenery - Animal and Vegetable
The earth has its counterpart in the ocean - Glory of submarine scenery - Splendid colors of tropical fishes - Wonders of coral scenery - Anemones - Sea slug and sea cucumber - Submarine forests and meadows - Seaweeds brought from a great depth - Seaweeds as food - Numerous applications of seaweeds

XXIII. The Bed of the Ocean - Deep Sea Soundings
Average depth of the sea - First determined by the U.S. navy - Mode of taking soundings - No currents below 3,000 feet - No decomposition at extreme depths - The sea a great nursery - animal life at extreme depths - Deep sea dredging expeditions

XXIV. Phenomena of the Ocean
Optical illusions in Arctic seas - Aurora Borealis - Other luminous meteors - (b b n p antiques) Halos and mock suns - The ice blink - Tide rip and sea drift - Waterspouts - The trade winds - The monsoon - Hurricanes - Submarine earthquakes and volcanoes - Islands rising from he sea - Red fog, or shower-dust

XXV. Ocean Steamships
Universal interest respecting the "ocean palaces" - Fulton's "Clermont" - The Anchor Line of steamships - The City of Rome, the largest passenger steamer afloat - Her remarkable dimension - Minute description of her interior

XXVI. The Signal Service
Various modes of signaling - Field telegraph trains - Instruction of officers and men for the service - Inauguration of the "Weather Bureau" - Mode of preparing the daily weather-map - Predicting rise and fall of great rivers - Storm signals described - Universal benefit of the Signal Service - International code of flag-signals - Incidents illustrating the service

XXVII. The Lifesaving Service
Development of the system - Number of stations - Appliances - Patrol men on duty - Wreck of the "J.H. Hortzell" - The "Life Boat Coming" - A terrible journey - The frightful spectacle - The perilous descent - Preparations for the rescue - The breeches-buoy - Life car attached - The crew saved - The wreck of the schooner "A.B. Goodman" - Sublime heroism displayed

XXVIII. Lighthouses and Beacons
The oldest lighthouse - Colossal statue of Apollo at Rhodes - Lighthouse on the Eddystone rocks - The Bell-Rock - Minot's Ledge lighthouse – (b b n p antiques) Modes of signaling in fogs - Coal or wood fires formerly used - Later adaptations - The electric light - Life in a lighthouse - Appointments to position of keeper - The sea veteran

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