X SHINGLE SHIFTING 17 



along. . . . 'My word,' says Benjie, 'what I 

 have a-see'd shift herefrom before now, and boats 

 washing across the road! And then they comes 

 along to 'ee an' says, "Magnificent sea. Isn't It, 

 my man?"— "Iss," I tells 'em, "lay a hand on 

 this here rope. If you please, an' haul! We'm all 

 equal at these times, before seas like this. We 

 was all born, an' us all got to die !" ' 



High water here does not synchronise with the 

 flood-tide, nor, consequently, low water with the 

 ebb. The flood begins running up alongshore, 

 from west to east, about three hours before high 

 water, and lasts for three hours after It; the ebb, 

 from east to west, runs down for the six hours 

 before and after low water. That It Is which 

 preserves our beach from being swept away from 

 us by the prevailing westerly winds and piled up 

 at the eastern end of Its compartment; because, 

 though westerly winds blow oftener, and, with the 

 flood's aid, constantly carry the beach eastwards, 

 an easterly wind, blowing against the flood, raises 

 a bigger sea and shifts westward a far greater 

 quantity of shingle In one tide. Hence easterly 

 and westerly winds more or less balance one 

 another. 



When, during a southerly gale, the breakers 



C 



