THE BUILDING OF AN ISLAND. 49 



illustrate the subsequent levelling down of the strata. The diagram (Fig. 19) 

 may still be taken as roughly representing the anticlinal, if we remember that 

 the strata slope partly forwards as well as to right and left ; but the diagram 

 would require some modification before it could be taken fairly to represent 

 the facts ; for the high dips, reaching sometimes even to reversions along the 

 south side of the axis, compared with the more moderate dips along the north 

 side, suggest that the curve of the elevated strata has not by any means been 

 an evenly balanced one, but has been far steeper on the south side than on the 

 north. After making this change there might still remain some subordinate 

 folds in the strata which would lessen the height of the main curve. Yet it 

 is evident that in any case it must have been very great. What an immense 

 time must be allowed for the atmosphere, the rain and the streams to have 

 worn away such vast masses of strata as this theory of their present arrange- 

 ment implies ! Even if we suppose these agencies to have had in remote times 

 a much greater force than they have in modern davs, yet we can onlv imagine 

 that long ages must have passed during which these old rocks were being eaten 

 down, to disappear later beneath the surface of the sea and to receive on their 

 worn down edges the gi'eat deposits of limestone and marls which make up 

 our newer formation. 



But, to return to our observations. Following up the question of the ex- 

 tent of the northeastern dips, we find that while it extends eastwards, it is 

 stopped short northwards by southerly dips, which, beginning at " Will's Bay," 

 occupy the northern shores as far east as the estate St. John's and are renewed 

 still further east across the Salt River and in Christiansted. 



This change back to a southerly dip presents, however, no further diffi- 

 culty. In coming to it we have merely arrived at a second great wave of 

 the strata, and the line, which separates it from the area of northeastern dips 

 already considered, is the line along the hollow of the wave, a synclinal axis, 

 just as the former line of separation further south is the line along the top of 

 the wave or ridge, an anticlinal axis. 



Thus we seem to have arrived at a satisfactory explanation of the arrange- 

 ment of the older rocks in the western part of the island, and with the knowl- 

 edge we have gained we may now proceed to a similar examination of those of 

 the Eastern Triano-le. 



Beginning with the hills at Christiansted we observe that, with an excep- 

 tion to be noted later, the dips in the town and near neighbourhood are to 

 southerly points. If we now take advantage of the great slit through the 

 Christiansted hills, "Spring Gut," as it is commonly called, and pass through 

 it from north to south, namely, from the "Parade Ground," east of Christian- 

 sted, to the estate Longford, we find as we ascend the valley, which at its 

 highest point is about 400 feet above the sea-level, that, with one exception, a 

 southerly dip prevails wherever the rocks show signs of stratification, but soon 

 after we begin to descend on the south side, a striking change occurs, the dip 

 passes in the space of a few yards 'from about southwest to east-bv-north. 



