374 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 



The inner surface of the caves and crevices often exhibits 

 beautiful incrustations and stalactites, formed by the carbo- 

 nate of lime above mentioned. 



These distant sea-girt islands of Bermuda have, un- 

 questionably risen from the vast Atlantic Ocean, six hundred 

 geographical miles distant from the nearest point of the 

 American coast. 



Doubtless they are formed from sea shells which have 

 been pulverised by the breakers upon the outer margin of 

 the great reef, the action of the wind and sea causing the 

 comminuted shell to accumulate on its southern edge, where 

 in the course of time — of centuries — the shell, driven by 

 heavy gales, has drifted into its present state of hill and 

 dale. 



One very remarkable feature in the geology of the islands 

 is the occurrence of a layer of red earth, or marl, imbedded 

 in the drift-shell. 



This stratum of red earth is found within the limits of the 

 town of Hamilton, and in the adjacent property of the widow 

 of the late Honourable Robert Kennedy. It lies many 

 feet below the present surface of the land, undulating 

 horizontally with the shell formation on which it rests, and 

 rising from the sea level of the principal marsh drain, to 

 within ten or twelve feet of the hill tops which overlook the 

 centre of the town. 



The breadth from east to west, estimated from these 

 points, may be half a mile, and there is every reason to 

 believe the vein extends to the Harbour of Hamilton. 



South of the above-mentioned marsh, this imbedded 

 stratum of red earth appears conspicuously in a recent and 

 somewhat extensive vertical cutting of the hillside, the 

 material of which has been used in raising the level of the 

 marsh. This cutting may be twelve feet perpendicular, 

 and exhibits a section of pure white shell, with the vein of 



