CHAPTER II. 
A Break-water of Islands, Rocks, Reefs and Banks over 2,000 miles long. 
The Bahama Archipelago. The Gulfs, Sounds and Ship Channels that pene- 
trate and surround the Group. Modern Science discovering Hidden Chapters 
of the Earth's History. Monuments of Buried Lands. Ocean Thorough- 
fares, The Bermudas—their Gradual Subsidence. 
‘““We sailed the sea, thick sown with clustering isles.”— VirGIL. 
‘¢These precious stones set in a silver sea.” SHAKESPEARE. 
Havine deterniined to visit the Bahamas, the author com- 
menced immediately to brush away the dust which had during 
a number (please excuse him from not specifying more particu- 
larly how many) of decades of years, covered and obliterated the 
geographical knowledge of his school-boy days. Learning is like 
wealth—not to have it is less discreditable than unfounded pre- 
tensions. His life would have been worth but very little had it 
then depended upon his ability to accurately locate and particu- 
larly describe Nassau and the island of New Providence, or the 
group of which that island forms a part. Is it too much for him 
to assume that his ignorance was not exceptional, and that nearly 
all of his readers can truthfully make a similar confession ? Let 
the favored few who occupy the geographical front seats excuse 
.the author, and grant him their kind indulgence, while, for the 
benefit of others, he airs a little his recently resurrected, and, to 
some extent, newly acquired geographical knowledge. 
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