AGASSIZ: BAHAMAS. 119 



we found in the section of the terrace on the harbor side the same species 

 of corals composing the bulk of the reef rock. On going up to the flat 

 of the second terrace, we found isolated masses of corals and shells, 

 which evidently form a considerable part of the limestone of the cliff 

 extending from the first to the second terrace. To the south of the fort 

 one can reach the base of the cliffs of the third terrace, in which we found 

 again isolated corals of species characterizing the limestone of the sec- 

 ond terrace. On the second terrace we found considerable red earth. 

 The whole thickness of the first terrace of the elevated reef at Baracoa, 

 of not more than thirty-five to forty feet, wherever there was a section 

 showing its character, proved to be one mass of heads of corals closely 

 packed together, — huge masses of Astrseans, of Allopora, of Magandrime, 

 etc., all cemented together just as they must have grown on the surface 

 of the reef when it was living. 



Not more than five miles from us in a straight line rose Yunque, an ele- 

 vated mass of limestone underlaid, according to Professor 0. W. Crosby, 

 by older metamorphic rocks, and stated by him to be one continuous 

 mass of solid reef rock, 1 the upper part perhaps being of a greater age 

 than the lower limestone cliffs. Unfortunately the condition of the roads 

 was such as to make it impossible for us to reach the mountain, which I 

 was most anxious to visit in order to ascertain whether in this great 

 mass of limestone any trace of the successive terraces of the coast reefs 

 could be found. Judging from what could be seen of the base of the 

 mountain from the sea, the talus at its foot, built up of the disintegrated 

 limestone which for years has been falling from the upper layers, must 

 make it wellnigh impossible to ascertain the thickness of the successive 

 terraces which compose the Yunque. Still more difficult would it be to 

 determine their number, and whether they were caused by the erosive 

 action of the sea or were built out successively seaward during the dif- 

 ferent periods of elevation which must have followed one another with 

 (geologically) considerable rapidity in order to bring about such a suc- 

 cession of terraces as can still be recognized to the south of Baracoa. 

 The apparent columnar structure of the flanks of Yunque, especially as 

 they approach the summit, due to the breaking away of huge masse? of 

 limestone, gives no great hope that we shall ever be able to make out 

 the history and succession of the terraces of which this mass of limestone 

 is the monument (Plate XLL). 



Passing to the westward, the ranges of shore hills show markedly the 



1 Professor Hill in liis report to me distinctly states that the Yunque limestone 

 is not a coral reef limestone. 



