102 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [jAN. 18, 



seen digging such loose material from a cliff overlooking Devon- 

 shire marsh ; small excavations made b}' children near Bailey's 

 Bay, on the north shore, were increased in size man}- times dur- 

 ing a year by wind and blown sand. Where reached by salt 

 water, the sandstone becomes very hard superficially and re- 

 sembles the limestone. Near the Ducking stool, on the north 

 shore, it is thoroughly hardened between tides and only a little 

 less so at ten feet higher, where it is washed by the spray, but 

 above that it shows the usual features. Occasionally, however, it 

 is completely consolidated, as at the old govei'nment quarries and 

 some other places between Harrington Sound and Castle Har- 

 bor, whence was obtained stone for construction of military 

 quarters and works at St. George. Although so tender when 

 first taken from the quarries, this rock is used in the most im- 

 portant edifices, and occasionally without external protection, 

 as in the cathedral at Hamilton, for, exposed to the air, it soon 

 hardens externally and resists atmospheric action, as is shown 

 well in many road cuttings, where the surface has a coating of 

 stalagmite. In a frostless region, this stone is good, but a hard 

 freeze following a prolonged rainstorm, would convert the un- 

 protected walls into powder. 



The sandstone is the common rock of the islands in Hamilton 

 and Grassy bays, though the limestone, or lower rock, is cer- 

 tainly present in some of them. The writer was unable to land 

 within the southwestern bays on any but Tucker's island, but 

 during several trips to various points sailed so near to probably 

 twenty-five islands as to be able to recognize the sandstone 

 structure and to determine its continuity in man}- instances 

 from thirty feet above to several feet below the water line. A 

 quarry of the ordinary type was seen on Ager's island, reaching 

 almost to the water's edge. When the Two-rock channel was 

 deepened in 1895, the sandstone was found at sixteen feet below 

 the surface. This is practically the only rock seen on the north 

 shore from Spanish point to St, George ; on all sides of Harring- 

 ton sound ; around Hamilton harbor and in the parishes beyond. 

 On the northerly side of Castle harbor it extends considerably 

 below the water surface, as is shown alongside of the Causeway. 

 At one time it must have crossed the Lagoon to the enclosing 

 reef or " Ledge Flats," for it is present on islands off the north 

 shore and the onl}^ remaining fragment of the Ledge land has 

 this rock in certainly its upper portion. 



The structure of the sandstone is characteristicall}' that known 

 as wind-drift and the rock is aeolian, being the dune accumula- 

 tions of former times. This, recognized long ago by Nelson, is 

 disputed by none of the observers who have published their re- 



