312 Physical Geography, etc. 



rated from it by the Gulf of Florida, the greatest depth of which, on the 

 line of the axis of the Gulf Stream, off the western edge of the Reef, is 

 344 fathoms (2,064 feet). The area of the Bank is about 5,5G0 square 

 miles, of which the islands occupy about 1,200; it is separated from the 

 Great Bahama Bank by the northwestern and northeastern Providence 

 Channels, but is not more than 45 miles from any part of it; at the 

 nearest point only 15 miles.* 



The Little Bank contains only two islands of considerable size; Abaco 

 (divided by a narrow channel into Great and Little Abaco) and Grand 

 Bahama. "Hole in the Wall," at the southeast end of Great Abaco, is 

 568 miles distant from Cape Hatteras. 



The Great Bahama Bank. — This Bank, south and southeast of the Little 

 Bank, is separated from it by the Providence Channels, from Florida by 

 the Gulf of Florida, by the Santaren Channel from Salt Key Bank, and 

 by the Nicholas or Old Bahama Channel from Cuba, from which Key San 

 Domingo, the southern extremity of the Bank, is distant about 40 miles. 



The greatest depth of the Gulf of Florida between Cape Florida and 

 Gun Key, on the western side of the Great Bank, is 309 fathoms (1,854 

 feet), and more southerly, between Carysfort Reef and Orange Key 

 (distance about 60 miles), 475 fathoms (2,850 feet). The greatest depth 

 of the Santaren Channel, between the Great Bank and Anguilla Island 

 on the Salt Key Bank (distance about 27 miles), is 386 fathoms (2,316 feet). 



The Great Bank has an area of about 37,000 square miles, of which the 

 islands upon it occupy about 2,357 square miles. 



This Bank is penetrated at its centre by a deep Sound, the Gulf of 

 Providence (known as the " Tongue of the Ocean"), for a distance of 110 

 miles, with an average width of 25 to 30 miles, approached from the 

 northwest and northeast by the two Providence Channels. 



The principal islands on the Great Bank are as follows : — 



The Biminis, two small Keys on the western side, about 45 miles from 

 Cape Florida. On tlie western edge of the Gulf of Providence, skirting 

 the Bank, is Andros Island, the largest of the group (area 1,600 square 

 miles), and to the northeast of it, the Beri'y Islands. 



East of the Gulf of Providence and at the northeast and east edge of 

 the Bank, is Eleuthera, followed in the same direction, southeast, and then 

 south, by a succession of long, narrow islands, viz., San Salvador or Cat 

 Island,* Long Island and Ragged Island. 



On the north edge of the Bank, at the eastern entrance of the Gulf of 

 Providence, is New Providence, and to the southeast of it, Exuma, with 

 its chain of Keys extending 100 miles, lying on the eastern edge of the 

 bank and on the western side of Exuma Sound, which breaks the con- 

 tinuity of the Bank between San Salvador and Long Island, and runs 

 about 100 miles in a northwesterly direction, with an average width of 40 

 miles. 



*Watling'8 Island is, by some, called San Salvador, but in giving that name to Cat 

 Island I follow Governor Rawson. 



