GEOLOGICAL AGE AN'D FORMATION. 33 



over Cedar Swamp Creek, " knows the salt water comes 

 higher on the upland than formerly, by the killing of tim- 

 ber on the low borders of the upland." Testimony of the 

 same sort, to any amount, can be obtained ; but the above, 

 from different parts of the county, is sufficient. Observa- 

 tions on the dying out of timber can easily be made by any 

 one who is interested to do so. 



In most of the. marsh near the upland, which is shallow, 

 fallen timber is found buried; and the stumps of trees are 

 still standing , with their roots in the solid ground where 

 they grew. The timber found in this condition is of oak, 

 gum, magnolia, cedar, pine, and other species, such as are 

 now the natural growth of the country. Where they are 

 of pine, cedar, or other durable wood, their broken and 

 weather-worn trunks are seen projecting above the marsh 

 which has overrun the place of their growth. On the land 

 side of the beaches, along the sea-shore, large numbers of 

 leafless and dead red cedars may be seen standing in the 

 marsh, the indestructibility of the wood keeping the trees 

 erect, although the marsh has, in some instances, gathered 

 around them to the depth of several feet. Instances of 

 this sort were seen on all the beaches; and they may also 

 be seen on the low sandy islands which stand in the marsh 

 opposite each of the inlets. It was observed very strikingly 

 in the salt-holes on Nummy's Island, which lies in front of 

 Hereford Inlet. Cedar stumps and roots were lying in 

 many of these holes, and the sandy bottom oh which they 

 grew was but little under the marsh. Within the last 

 fifty years the island is said to have had a considerable 

 growth of cedar on it; now there is but a single living tree 

 3 



