334 Life in the Open 



as are parts of it to-day ; but the sand in the course 

 of years has encroached upon it and reduced the 

 former productive portions to the state of a mere 

 desert, and to-day it presents a most desolate appear- 

 ance, and those who land here have to wade through 

 the deep sand that is ever piling up and is destined 

 to completely fill the harbour or reduce it to a 

 shallow. 



Some time ago a schooner was thrown ashore on the 

 beach, and to show the remarkable movementof the 

 sand the vessel is now some distance inland and near- 

 ly buried out of sight by the insidious advance. It has 

 covered the deck, run down into the hold, partly filled the 

 craft, so that from a distance she appears to be riding on 

 a sea of sand, hard pressed and desolate. All about, 

 as far as the eye can reach, sand is coming down the hills 

 or going up, covering the rocks and gullies, sweeping 

 into caftons and forming vast slides by which one can 

 slide from the summit of a hill fairly into the bay. 



As a picture of desolation and the rapid movement 

 of sand, San Miguel has no equal. It works like snow, 

 the slightest obstacle being an excuse for piling up ; and 

 along the beach are seen a succession of sand waves, so 

 high in some instances that the stroller is lost to sight 

 as he moves slowly along. There is no better place 

 than this great amphitheatre of sand in which to observe 

 the action of the wind, which at one point carries it up a 

 steep slope, and not far away it is pouring down. 



The advance of sand is often subtle and unobserved ; 



