\ 
238 .Mr. Pierceon the Alluvial District of New-Jersey. 
Sandy-Hook, situated east of the Nevesink hills, from 
which it is separated by a narrow bay, is six miles in length ; 
in width it seldom exceeds half a mile. It was formerly an 
island, butthech laffording a direct water nunicati 
beiween the sea and Shrewsbury river, isnow filled up. This 
peninsula exhibits an alternation of barren sand _hillocks, 
plains and cedar thickets. The sand-banks are often laid 
low by sweeping tempests. The hillocks of Sandy-Hook 
and of our southern sea-board are many of them formed by 
the lodgment of sand around a cedar or other bush, increas- 
ing with the growth of the plant, and when the bush is no 
more the hill disappears. The beach and sandy elevations 
from a short distance resemble a snow covered surface. 
re is no creek or inlet on the sea-shore from the 
lighi-house, which is situated on. the northern extremity of 
Sandy-Hook, to Long-Branch, a distance of twelve miles. 
A walk or ride upon the hard beach at low tide is interest- 
ing, particularly by moon-light, when an extensive range of 
coast is seen, whitened by successive breakers—wrecks of 
vessels are visible at short intervals, melancholy monuments 
of the dangers of the sea. cs 5 
For many miles no houses, enclosures or signs of human 
occupancy are in view. Long-Branch is much resorted to 
for sea-bathing ; its situation is good... The land adjacent 
to the ocean is at this place compact, and rises perpendicu- 
larly from the beach near twenty feet. Waves in a tempest 
often rol] over this bank, making encroachments by their 
friction. The neighboring country is level, free from 
marshes, and under cultivation. The boarding-houses. are 
situated about twenty rods from the water, leaving hand- 
some lawns in the intermediate space. “The high banks of 
the sea and of Shrewsbury river are formed by strata of sand, 
clay and sea-mud. The clay isin many places white with 
uine efflorescences, principally sulphate of alumine, 
Much of the land situated in the northern part of the pe- 
ninsola is under cultivation, and in some of the townships of 
Monmouth county, adjacent to Amboy Bay and the oceam,, 
a considerable portion of the land is good, and has been ren- 
dered very productive by the application of marl. Six 
years since, but one or two small beds of this valuable ma- 
nure were known in this region, and but few experiments 0 
its utility had heen made. The inhabitants, ignorant of it 
