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  to 
  shore 
  about 
  its 
  middle, 
  but 
  the 
  channel 
  occupies 
  only 
  one 
  

   and 
  a 
  quarter 
  miles 
  of 
  this 
  space. 
  

  

  The 
  change 
  of 
  depth 
  is 
  gradual, 
  except 
  between 
  Watts' 
  and 
  

   Beach 
  Islands, 
  near 
  tlie 
  southern 
  extremity 
  of 
  the 
  Sound, 
  where 
  

   the 
  change 
  from 
  deep 
  to 
  shoal 
  water 
  is 
  sudden. 
  About 
  the 
  

   upper 
  and 
  northeastern 
  portion 
  the 
  depth 
  is 
  more 
  uniform, 
  

   the 
  deep 
  channel 
  shoaling 
  to 
  about 
  twelve 
  feet, 
  and 
  that 
  water 
  

   being 
  but 
  slightly 
  diminished 
  close 
  to 
  the 
  shores. 
  

  

  The 
  beds 
  do 
  not 
  as 
  in 
  Tangier 
  Sound, 
  cover 
  the 
  shoals 
  on 
  

   each 
  side 
  of 
  the 
  channel, 
  the 
  majority 
  being 
  found 
  on 
  the 
  

   eastern 
  side. 
  Only 
  two 
  beds 
  are 
  to 
  the 
  westward 
  of 
  that 
  part 
  

   of 
  the 
  channel, 
  where 
  the 
  water 
  is 
  deeper 
  than 
  three 
  or 
  four 
  

   fathoms. 
  

  

  The 
  total 
  area 
  covered 
  by 
  oysters 
  to 
  a 
  greater 
  or 
  less 
  extent 
  

   in 
  this 
  Sound, 
  is 
  31:.118 
  square 
  nautical 
  miles. 
  This 
  area 
  is 
  

   that 
  enclosed 
  on 
  the 
  chart 
  by 
  the 
  boundaries 
  of 
  scattered 
  oys- 
  

   ters, 
  and 
  is 
  but 
  approximate, 
  as 
  previously 
  explained. 
  

  

  The 
  solid 
  beds, 
  comprising 
  all 
  parts 
  of 
  the 
  Sound 
  w^here 
  

   oysters 
  were 
  found 
  in 
  a 
  greater 
  proportion 
  than 
  0.1 
  to 
  the 
  

   square 
  yard, 
  or 
  where 
  the 
  bed 
  was 
  found 
  to 
  be 
  to 
  all 
  intents, 
  

   solid 
  " 
  oyster-rock," 
  or 
  comparatively 
  unbroken, 
  contains 
  a 
  

   total 
  area 
  of 
  4.519 
  square 
  nautical 
  miles. 
  

  

  The 
  groups 
  or 
  rocks 
  are 
  not 
  always 
  contiguous, 
  being 
  sepa- 
  

   rated 
  by 
  the 
  channels 
  into 
  the 
  different 
  creeks 
  and 
  rivers 
  and 
  

   by 
  mud-sloughs 
  and 
  spaces. 
  

  

  In 
  only 
  one 
  case 
  have 
  the 
  beds 
  extended 
  across 
  the 
  channel, 
  

   and 
  peculiar 
  circumstances 
  account 
  for 
  that 
  exception. 
  

  

  Generally 
  speaking 
  the 
  beds 
  will 
  be 
  found 
  to 
  lie 
  on 
  each 
  

   side 
  of 
  the 
  main 
  channel 
  in 
  the 
  Sound 
  and 
  on 
  each 
  side 
  of 
  the 
  

   channels 
  into 
  the 
  rivers. 
  Taking 
  them 
  in 
  order 
  from 
  the 
  

   mouth 
  of 
  the 
  Pocomoke 
  River 
  to 
  the 
  entrance 
  to 
  the 
  Sound, 
  

   there 
  are 
  seventeen 
  of 
  a 
  sufficient 
  size 
  to 
  justify 
  a 
  separate 
  

   consideration 
  and 
  name. 
  

  

  I 
  have 
  called 
  them 
  by 
  the 
  names 
  given 
  by 
  the 
  local 
  oyster- 
  

   men 
  to 
  the 
  solid 
  "oyster- 
  rock," 
  which 
  was 
  probably 
  the 
  origin 
  

   of 
  the 
  bed. 
  

  

  They 
  are 
  : 
  The 
  Old 
  Bocks 
  and 
  New 
  Plantation 
  Rocks, 
  

   Buoy 
  liock. 
  Potter's 
  Rock, 
  Slatestone 
  Flat 
  Rock, 
  Dog-Fish 
  

  

  