238 Mr. Pierce on the Alluvial District of New- Jersey. 



Sandy-Hook, situated east of the Nevesink hills, from 

 which it is separated by a narrow bay, is six miles in length ; 

 in width it seldom exceeds half a mile. It was formerly an 

 island, but the channel affording a direct water communication 

 between the sea and Shrewsbury river, is now filled up. This 

 peninsula exhibits an alternation of barren sand hillocks, 

 plains and cedar thickets. The sand-banks are often laid 

 low by sweeping tempests. The hillocks of Sandy-Hook 

 and of our southern sea-board are many of them formed by 

 the lodgment of sand around a cedar or other bush, increas- 

 ing with the growth of the plant, and when the bush is no 

 more the hill di-appears. The beach and sandy elevations 

 from a short distance resemble a snow covered surface. 



There is no creek or inlet on the sea-shore from the 

 light-house, which is situated on the northern extremity of 

 Sandy-Hook, to Long-Branch, a distance of twelve miles. 

 A walk or ride upon the hard beach at low tide is interest- 

 ing, particularly by moon-light, when an extensive range of 

 coast is seen, whitened by successive breakers — wrecks of 

 vessels are visible at short intervals, melancholy monuments 

 of the dangers of the sea. 



For many miles no houses, enclosures or signs of human 

 occupancy are in view. Long-Branch is much lesorted to 

 for sea-bathing ; its situation is good. The land adjacent 

 to the ocean is at this place compact, and rises perpendicu- 

 larly from the beach near twenty feet. Waves in a tempest 

 often roll over this bank, making encroachments by their 

 friction. The neighboring country is level, free from 

 marshes, and under cultivation. The boarding-houses are 

 situated about twenty rods from the water, leaving hand- 

 some lawns in the intermediate space. The high banks of 

 the sea and of Shrewsbury river are formed by strata of sand, 

 clay and sea-mud. The clay is in many places white with 

 saline efflorescences, principally sulphate of alumine. 



Much of the land situated in the northern part of the pe- 

 ninsula is under cultivation, and in some of the townships of 

 Monmouth county, adjacent to Amboy Bay and the ocean, 

 a considerable portion of the land is good, and has been ren- 

 dered very productive by the application of marl. Six 

 years since, but one or two small beds of this valuable ma- 

 nure were known in this region, and but ievf experiments of 

 its utility had been made. The inhabitants, ignorant of its 



