1817.] GEOLOGY OP THE WEST INDIES. 135 



mew, St. Martin, Anguilla and Santa Cruz; the other 

 part, consisting of volcanic formations, with a few partial 

 coverings of secondary, occupies the western side of the 

 range, including the Grenadines, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, 

 Martinico, Dominica, Basseterre in Guadaloupe, Mon- 

 serrat, Nevis, St. Christopher, St. Eustatia and Saba, 

 where the volcanic formation appears to terminate. 



Barbadoes. The northern, southern and western sec- 

 tions of this island consist of rocks, formed of an aggre- 

 gate of shells and madrepore rocks, mixed with different 

 kinds of corals, being partly consolidated into a mass by 

 the attrition of the water, having the interstices filled by 

 the particles that have been broken, and washed into them, 

 sometimes even losing the marks of their original forma- 

 tion; and partly porous and full of cavities formed by the 

 washing away of the shells and madrepores, and by the 

 natural shelving of these rocks. This shell limestone is 

 deposited in four or five horizontal strata, rising gra- 

 dually to the height of eight hundred feet towards the cen- 

 tre of the island, and forming as many plateaux as there 

 are strata, resembling, at a distant view, the steps of stairs. 

 Thence to the eastward or windward is the district of 

 Scotland, composed of strata of slate alternating with 

 limestone, and an aggregate cemented with lime, in grains 

 of various sizes, and resembling much the different kinds 

 of graywacke slate, dipping to the east, . northerly, and 

 running to the north, westerly; having every appearance 

 of being the transition rock on which the madrepores and 

 corals had built their cells. 



Mariegalaiite, Grundterre in Guadaloupe, 2ind.Deseaday 

 are all formed of the madrepore rock, in horizontal strata, 

 resembling the same formation in Barbadoes, the strata 



