325= 



The publication of the Table referred to in the preceding pages 

 having been retarded by an accident to one of the wood-cuts, I 

 availed myself of the delay to go to Atherfield, where, I was in- 

 formed, great changes had taken place on the coast during the last 

 year. This account I found (in August) to be correct; the whok 

 of the section from the rise of the uppermost beds of the " Crackers'^ 

 group, westward, to Atheriield Point, being overwhelmed by ruins, 

 from the undermining of the cliff of sand and clay, so that the origi- 

 nal features of the place were no longer distinguishable, and even the 

 divisions of the strata scarcely to be seen. The coast beneath the 

 cliffs also, throughout the section from Rocken End to Atheriield, 

 was covered deeply with shingle, rising everywhere up to the base 

 of the cliifs, and entering even into the Chines. The fallen masses, 

 if there were any remaining on the shore, were thus entirely con- 

 cealed : — and this state of things will probably be continued until 

 the sea, during the gales of winter, carries off the shingle again. 



The mural cliffs, especially between Cliff- End and Walpen Chine, 

 were much altered by the falling away of large fiakes parallel to the 

 general surface, such as I have mentioned at p. 308 as cutting 

 without interruption through the apparent divisions of the strata: 

 so that the entire mass of sand and clay here composing the cliff 

 would seem to be continuous ; — the divisions, which are prominent 

 after long exposure, either not existing generally, or being in a great 

 measure superficial. I could no longer recognise the separation of 

 No. 37 from No. 36 : and the concretional masses of Nos. 38 and 

 39 were, for the greater part, not to be distinguished ; and nowhere 

 so prominent as they had been, — and as it is possible they may 

 become again after exposure. 



The surface of the great mass of shingle above-mentioned was so 

 nearly level, and so uniform throughout, as to enable me to revise the 

 measures of horizontal distance with great advantage ; and the long 

 continuance of dry weather having rendered several points accessible 

 which in general cannot be approached, I obtained some direct mea- 

 sures of height and thickness— as at Black-gang, and within Whale's 

 Chine — which were very satisfactory. The drawing, therefore, from 

 which the Cut prefixed to the Table has been reduced, is thus more 

 correct, or less erroneous, than before, and perhaps sufficiently so for 



VOL. III. — PART I. Z* 



