FISHERIES, TOPOGEAPHY, ETC. 81 



will not attempt to describe. A considerable ton- 

 nage in boats, and a number of people, are employed 

 in the Bermuda fisheries ; the produce of which 

 forms a large item in the consumption of the 

 islands. 



For a better comprehension of the "Bermudas," 

 I shall now give a geological and topographical 

 description of them. 



The group of islands forming the little archipelago 

 will require minuter description, for the purpose 

 of showing the varied features of each, and of the 

 whole of them collectively. The surface is very 

 irregular ; and although there are no lofty moun- 

 tains, we see one or two points that may be con- 

 sidered as rather high hills. There is no appearance 

 of wood until we approach close to the sea; and 

 then the cedar-trees, which grow along the shore, 

 show at once that we have reached a new world. 

 The valleys intersecting these hills are covered with 

 vegetation, but many of the hills themselves are 

 naked and barren, while others are richly clothed 

 with timber. 



The formation of the islands is chiefly calcareous, 

 consisting of the spoils of zoophytes, of which 

 several species are strikingly evident. These are 

 so cemented together^ that they sometimes form a 



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