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The peninsula of Marblcliead extends north-east into the 

 ocean. It might be inferred that this direction of its extent 

 was produced in time, by the powerful action of the waves 

 in the north-east storms, the heaviest storms that visit the 

 coasts of Xew England. Such an inference, a study of the 

 geology of the peninsula for the most part, disproves. The 

 direction in which it extends into the ocean arises from the 

 fact that the strike of the ridges of Greenstone and Syenite 

 is in a north-east and south-west direction. The northeast 

 portion of the township is made up of six or seven of these 

 ridges, having this general bearing, with intervening vallies 

 having a direction corresponding. With this knowledge of 

 the general formation of the town we are prepared for the 

 study of the harbor, famed as one of the deepest harbors on 

 the Atlantic coast. Was the harbor excavated by the action 

 of the ocean, or was it originally a natural valley ? 



The main streets of the town run for the most part along 

 the courses of these natural vallies. As we pass from one 

 valley to the next, going towards the harbor, we find our- 

 selves descending from terrace to terrace ; for example in 

 passing from Back street to Washington street either by way 

 of Mugford street or Pearl street, we find ourselves making 

 an ascent up the intervening ridge and then making a great- 

 er descent into Washington street. If now we still continue 

 on towards the harbor, either by way of State or Darling 

 streets we find ourselves still descending until we reach the 

 street bordering the harbor, and but a little elevated above 

 its surface. We stop here and at once draw our inference 

 that stretched out before us lies another of these natural val- 

 lies into which the waters of ocean poured in that early day 

 when the fiat of the Almighty sent them on their rejoicing 

 course over the surface of our planet, led on by the law that 

 they should seek their own level. 



In the mass of waste rocks that compose our wharves is a 

 great quantity of nodules of flint, occasional specimens of 

 Brown Hematite and masses of Sandstone abounding in pet- 

 rified shells ; specimens of each of them, but more particu- 

 larly of the flint stones may be found scattered along our 

 sea beaches. These, tradition says, were brought from Bil- 

 boa, Spain, as ballast, our fishing vessels having in former 

 years been freighted with fish for that port, returning in. 

 ballast. After a great storm in the year 1850 or '51, many 



