24 THE GEOLOGY OF BERMUDA. 



would be required to convert the north side of the atoll from a high 

 cliff to a sunken reef in the interval between May's shijjwreck in 1593 

 and Somers' in 1609, or to diminish considerably the area of the archi- 

 pelago in the century succeeding Oviedo's voyage in 1515. A conclu- 

 sion so improbable is certainly not to be adopted on evidence so indefi- 

 nite or ambiguous as has been gathered from the narratives of Oviedo 

 and May. The belief that the level of the islands in the time of John 

 Smith was higher than at present is utterly out of the question. The 

 opinion advocated in this paper finds additional confirmation in the 

 Map by Eichard Norwood, in 1663.* That map is an accurate delinea- 

 tion of the islands in their present condition, and renders it certain 

 that within the last two hundred years no considerable subsidence has 

 taken place. 



EROSION. 



One of the most interesting incidental subjects of study for a geolo- 

 gist in Bermuda is the immense erosion which has taken place. The 

 softness of most of the drift-rock, and the solubility of calcium carbon- 

 ate in rain-water, combine to produce an exceedingly rapid erosion, 

 •even though the powerful agency of frost is wanting. Many of the 

 most picturesque features of Bermudian scenery are due to this ero- 

 sion. The shore cliffs in many localities are carved into the most pic- 

 turesque pinnacles, in whose endless variety of form the eye may find 

 perpetual delight. Another result of erosion is the formation of innu- 

 merable caves, ranging in size from exquisite miniature grottoes to 

 extensive caverns. One of these beautiful miniature caves I observed 

 at Paynter's Vale. It had been laid open by the removal of the stone 

 in quarrying. Its horizontal diameter was about 5 feet, its height in 

 the middle about 2 feet. Pygmy stalagmites rose from the floor, and 

 pygmy stalactites depended from the roof. In the peripheral parts of 

 the little cavern the stalactites and stalagmites united in many cases 

 to form little columns. Many of the larger caves are of exceeding 

 beauty; but it is unnecessary to give any detailed description of them, 

 as the phenomena are of course those which occur in all limestone cav- 

 erns. A curious feature which the traveler meets here and there in 

 Bermuda is a deep hollow with walls nearly vertical, or in places 

 «ven overhanging. One may be walking over a nearly level plain, and 

 suddenly find himself on the edge of a precipice looking down into a 



*The curious history of Norwood's Map is given in Lefroy, op. ciU, Vol. I., i^reface. 

 A copy of the map itself faces p. 645 of Vol. II. 



