MOUNT BERMUDA 



speaking, almost contemporary times — say in 

 early Pleistocene, about two millions of years back. 



Here we have a geological conundrum: At this 

 time, twenty thousand centuries ago, let us suppose 

 we have a potential Bermuda submerged a little 

 distance beneath the surface of the ocean. How can 

 we make this into isles of rest without raising the 

 crest of the submerged volcano or adding coral or 

 other material to its summit? The only logical re- 

 maining possibility appears to be absurd — the 

 lowering of the ocean itself, and yet this is exactly 

 what happened. If a pail of water is allowed partly 

 to freeze overnight and the ice then removed, the 

 level of the remaining water will be considerably 

 lowered. So, many years ago in the Pleistocene, 

 great wind-storms carried away vast quantities of 

 water, drawn up into clouds from the oceans, and 

 deposited it as snow over all the northern lands 

 of the world. The snow then turned into ice and 

 pushed southward and the first glacial epoch began. 

 Little by little, as more water piled up on the land, 

 the level of the Atlantic Ocean sank, and Bermuda 

 Mountain came nearer and nearer to the surface. 

 Finally when over a half mile thickness of ice had 

 formed, the level of the sea was lowered over two 

 hundred and fifty feet, leaving Bermuda high 

 and dry. 



Dry Bermuda at this time was of considerable 

 extent, and the terrific wind-storms probably pre- 

 vented the growth of any vegetation. But snails, 

 uncounted hosts of snails, barnacles, sea-urchins, 



9 



