ARTIFICIAL POND. 91 



is prominent and peculiar in its situation. The sea washes close 

 up to it upon either side but does not cover it. A little way back 

 is seen the slope of the embankment terrace and between the two 

 the remains of a most curious structure. Here is represented the 

 last remaining traces of the old colony, in the shape probably, of a 

 concealed dock for boats and small vessels. It is an artificial pond, 

 and, covered from all observation until this part of the bay is reached, 

 its presence would never be expected unless looked for. A slight 

 sand bank in that corner of the bay had so shut off this inlet that 

 at low tide a natural basin of water was separated by this same sand 

 bank from the water of the bay. This basin shows signs of being 

 enlarged, deepened, and has an embankment around it the walls 

 of which are kept in place by huge stones ; these one can plainly see 

 have been worked and built up around it. The stones are carefully 

 arranged so that the bases are downward and the pointed or smallest 

 end uppermost, while the interspaces are filled up with smaller stones 

 and earth : the whole top is earthed over and covered around with 

 a layer of large flat stones. This appears to preclude the possibility 

 of the whole affair being a production of nature. Sheltered as it is, 

 it would make an excellent hiding place or repairing place for 

 small boats, which could easily make way over the bar at high water. 

 Another pecuharity, however, presents itself ; there is, at low tide, a 

 drainage from the small basin into the sea through this sand bank. 

 Were there now no inlet to this small pond, as in fact there 

 is, it would be drained twice a day while the tide was low, since 

 it is very shallow at best. Advantage has been taken of this fact, 

 apparently. A short passage has been made from the northeast 

 side so that the brook, which I mentioned before as flowing in a 

 channel through the embankment beyond, is somewhat slightly 

 diverted so as to run into the basin. Now the fresh waters of this 

 brook, running in at all times with a stream of several times the 

 volume as the outflow at low tide, are continually freshening the 

 waters in the basin, until before low tide is reached you have an ar- 

 tificial pond of clear, fresh water with sandy bottom and suitable 

 for the cattle who come to its banks regularly to drink, and even 



