228 CHANNEL ISLANDS OF CALIFORNIA 



and brush, as are portions of it to-day, but the sand 

 rivers in the course of years have encroached upon 

 it and reduced former productive areas to the state 

 of a mere desert. 



Not many years ago the region around San Miguel's 

 best harbor was covered with brush and verdure, and 

 when the winter rains fell, it was changed into a garden 

 of green and wild flowers; but to-day it presents a most 

 desolate appearance, and those who land have to wade 

 through the deep sand that is ever piling up and is 

 destined to fill the harbor or reduce it to a shallow. 

 Some time ago a schooner was thrown ashore on the 

 beach, and to show the remarkable advance of the 

 sand, the vessel is now some distance inland and 

 nearly covered by the insidious sand. It has covered 

 the deck, run down into the hold, partly filled the 

 craft, so that from a distance she appears to- be 

 riding on a sea of sand, hard, white, desolate, and 

 relentless. 



All about, as far as the eye can reach, sand is coming 

 down from the hills or going up, covering the rocks 

 and gullies, sweeping into canons, covering the hill- 

 tops, and forming vast slopes by which one can slide 

 from the summit of a hill fairly into the bay. As a 

 picture of desolation and the rapid movement of 

 sand, this place perhaps has no equal. The sand 

 works almost exactly like snow, the slightest obstacle 

 being an excuse for piling up; and along the beach 

 are seen a succession of sand waves, in some in- 

 stances so high that the walker is lost to sight as 

 he moves slowly along. No better locality could 

 be imagined than this great amphitheatre of sand, 

 to observe the action of the wind, which at one spot 



