56 ST. AUGUSTINE AND VICINITY. 



geology of this region, — that must be left to those better qualified 

 to do it ; a few general remarks may be of value however. 



The waters about St. Augustine, as all along the coast to a 

 greater or less extent, are crowded with large and small islands, 

 that have been severed from the coast at some remote period, and 

 which now present narrow, winding, and more or less dangerous 

 passages for vessels or small boats, according to their depth. At 

 this point, and for a distance of some twenty or thirty miles up and 

 down the coast, is a most interesting and remarkable feature. It 

 seems as if the whole coast region had received a lateral and per- 

 pendicular pressure, that pressed these islands into the sea ; as if a 

 large number of small card blocks, placed side by side, had been 

 pressed from three sides so that they burst out upon the fourth. 

 From the mouth of the Kecarpwei river to that of Shecatica bay, 

 the strict coast line presents the following peculiar shape ; at point 



I, we find the Kecarpwei river entering the sea 

 by a narrow channel between the islands ; at 2 the 

 St. Augustine river enters in a similar way ; and at 

 3 the Carkewetchepe also. At 4 is the headland 

 promontory of Shecatica bay upon its northeastern 

 side ; while from there to Bate des Roches (5) the coast is more or 

 less indented by small bays, and deep fiords extending in a north- 

 northeast by south-southwest direction. The almost square patch of 

 water between the St. Augustine and Carkewetchepe rivers, is filled 

 up with the small Main island, Large island, and Sandy, Cum- 

 berland, and Dukes islands in the northeast extremity, while 

 River island, at the mouth of the St. Augustine river, fills the 

 eastern end of the figure. Along the line of coast from i to 2, is 

 first Inner, and directly southeast, with only a small passage between, 

 Outer island ; while southwest of Inner is Long Island. All these 

 islands are separated from the land and from each other by narrow 

 strips of water as I have stated, and these passages receive the 

 name of rigouletfes (from the French word rigole, a trench or gut- 

 ter), and are thus called by the inhabitants. The passage between 



