298 ALEXANDER AGASSIZ 



As a result of this investigation of the Bahamas, 

 Agassiz believed them to embrace another region of 

 coral reefs whose formation could not be explained by- 

 Darwin's theory. 



TO SIR JOHN MURRAY 



Cambridge, April 13, 1893. 



A few days ago I got back from my trip to the 

 Bahamas. I was quite successful as far as the general 

 reconnaissance of the islands is concerned, but I have 

 learned little more regarding coral reefs and am as far 

 in the dark on the subject of the underlying rocks plateau 

 as I was before I left. It looks to me now as if nothing 

 but a series of systematic diamond drill explorations 

 would settle the disputed points. And I should greatly 

 like next year, if it does not cost too much, to do a 

 little drilling — one hole in Florida, which has been 

 stationary — one hole in the Bahamas, where there has 

 been a slight subsidence — and one hole along the Cuban 

 coast somewhere right through the elevated coral reef 

 terraces, unless I can find a better place in Jamaica, 

 which I do not know. 



By the way, I am satisfied that the same causes 

 which have given the Bahamas their present physiog- 

 nomy have been the cause of the Bermudas assuming 

 their present outline. The coral reefs have of late (geo- 

 logically late) had absolutely nothing to do with this, 

 and the talk about the present reefs of the Bermudas 

 and Bahamas having been instrumental, owing to sub- 

 sidence, in giving those islands their present shape, is 

 all moonshine. There is nothing to be seen at the 

 Bermudas or Bahamas which gives us any clue of how 

 these islands were formed by the reefs — we are as 



