i" 



342 Sketch of the Geology of 



Aciioji pf the Sea upon the Coast. 



I can hardly believe that any part of the world presents 

 finer examples of the abrading agency of the ocean upon 

 the land, than the coast of Nova Scotia, Maine, and Mas- 

 sachusetts. I shall, however, limit my remarks to a few 

 cases that fell under my notice during my excursion to 

 Portland. . ' 



I 



In sailing among the islands in Casco Bay, said to be 

 as numerous as the days of tlie year, I was struck with 

 the fact that their longitudinal direction is almost always 

 from southwest and northeast ; and the same thing is gen- 

 erally true of the numerous islands and capes along the 

 coastj as far at least, as the mouth of Penobscot river. 

 The explanation of this fact depends in a measure, I am 

 persuaded, upon the fact that the strata run in that direc- 

 tion. For the water gradually encroaches upon the softer 

 portions of the strata; the harder ridges resisting its 

 power much more successfully ; and thus a succession of 

 gulfs and capes is formed, running in the same direction 



1 



as the strata. In a vari 



he 



cut off, so as to become islands in the course of centuries. 

 The northeast and^southwest storms, also, are more vio- 

 lent on this coast than any others; and the marks of their 

 action are visible almost every where along the shore. 

 The Strata are not only denuded for miles often, but the 

 harder portions of the strata remain projecting, some- 

 times several rods beyond the general line of the coast. 

 These walls are sometimes so narrow that the lateral 



ocean 



rock 



and 



drongs. The following sketch was taken at the south- 

 western extremity of Jewell's Island : but it conveys only 



