94 A. FE. Verrili—The Bermuda Islands; Geology. 
Cut XI, the Eastern North Rock Cut, is navigable for small Ber- 
mudian vessels with a good pilot, but is dangerous. It leads directly 
to the Great North Rock Sound, marked ¢, on map II, pl. xxxvii. 
Cut XIu, the Western North Rock Cut, is larger and deeper, and 
is easily entered by vessels of some size with good local pilots. It 
runs southward into the great North Rock Sound. It has 6 to 8 
fathoms of water in most of its course, but it is rather crooked. 
Cut Xa, the Eastern Blue Cut, leads into the sound numbered II, 
on map I; f,0n map II. It is rarely used, except by fishing boats 
and other small craft, as it is much obstructed by detached reefs. 
It has depths of 5 to 8 fathoms. 
Cut X, the Western Blue Cut, is not much better for navigation. 
It has depths of 4 to 6 fathoms. It leads to Ireland Island, and into 
the sounds numbered III and IV, on map I; g, on map II. 
Cut IX, the Chub Cut, is navigable only for small vessels. Its 
depth is 3 to 7 fathoms. It leads into the sound numbered V, on 
map I; 4, on map II. 
Cut VII leads into a large sound, 7 to 10 fathoms deep, between 
Western Ledge Flats and Long Bar. (See map IL) In part of its 
course it is 10 fathoms deep. 
Cut VIII is the Hog-fish Cut. It is very long, narrow, very 
crooked, and not far from the shore. It is badly obstructed near its 
entrance by Kitchen Shoals, but the Bermuda mercantile vessels 
formerly made much use of it to enter Elies’ Harbor. 
Besides these, there is a channel (XIII) into Castle Harbor, 
between Castle Island (crx, map II) and Southampton Island, which 
was much used by vessels in the early years of Bermuda history. 
The channel that leads into St. George’s Harbor is of the same 
nature. This was originally narrow, crooked, and too shallow, but 
it was much improved about 50 years ago by blasting out some of 
the worst ledges in its bottom. It badly needs additional improve- 
ments of that sort to safely admit modern vessels of larger size. 
2. Filling up of the Cuts and Channels. 
There can be no doubt that most, if not all, of these cuts through 
the reefs have very much filled up and obstructed since their sub- 
mergence. If they drained the interior sounds and valleys of 
Greater Bermuda, they must have been at least equal to them in depth. 
Of course, some of them may have been of later origin than the 
sounds, and if so, may have served merely to help in the ebb and 
flow of the tides, like the present shallow outlet of Harrington 
