474 A. E. Vtrrill — Tin Bermuda Islands. 



similar way. (See ]>. 427 and plates lxxxviii, lxxxix.) The sea has 

 here washed out vast quantities of soft rock or scarcely consolidated 

 sand, such as occurs in many places along that coast, and has left the 

 harder parts standing as large, roughly fretted and fluted columns, 

 12 to 15 feet high, which are partly roofed over by the upper and 

 harder layers of limestone. (See under Geolog}'.) These column- 

 like rocks are very curious and picturesque, but are neither so tall 

 nor so massive as they appear to be from the photographs. 



Similar rocks, but not roofed over, exist at Tobacco Bay, a cove 

 near Fort Catherine, on St. George's Island, and in other localities. 

 (See plates Ixxx, fig. 1, xc, fig. 1, and Part IV, ch. 49, Geology.) 



10. — Sand Dunes and Drifting Sands. 



As the entire mass of the land consists of hardened sand-dunes, we 

 should naturally expect to see the process of forming them still 

 actively going on. But at present this is not the case, except in one 

 well marked district at Tucker's Town, near the southeastern end of 

 the Main Island, and in a few other very local spots. 



At the time that Matthew Jones wrote, 1872 to 1876, there were 

 extensive moving sands on the south side of the Paget hills, near 

 Elbow Bay. Even as late as the visit of the Challenger (1883) 

 those sands were still moving, and both Moseley and Thomson gave 

 very interesting accounts of them. At that time there was to be 

 seen the chimney of a small stone house projecting above one of the 

 sand-dunes, all of the rest of the house having been buried in the 

 sand.* Partially buried trees were then visible, with their dead 

 branches projecting out of the sand. But within a few years these 

 drifting sands at Elbow Bay have become practically quiescent and 

 fixed. Matthew Jones, in 1876, gave the following detailed account 

 of these sand-dunes, which is of interest as showing the contrast 

 with the present stationary condition. 



" On arriving at the northeast corner of the sand-hills, the 

 encroachment of the drifting sand will at once be perceived ; as the 

 mass, some ten feet in depth, is now gradually covering a small 

 garden. According to the observations made \>y persons residing 

 close to, this overwheming body has advanced over the cultivated 

 land about eighty yards, during the last twenty -five years. At the 

 northeast corner of the hills, will be seen among some oleander trees 

 near the top, the chimne} r of a cottage which formerly stood there, 



* Another house is said to have been buried at Tucker's Town, but the chimney- 

 is said to have been dug out, for the sake of the bricks and stone. 



