Photo by H. D. Wood 

 SAND BEING BLOWN IN FROM THE BEACH : SHACKELEORD BANK, NORTH CAROLINA 

 The sand comes inland at this point on the island at the rate of one-quarter mile per year 



cient beacon gave way to a more pre- 

 tentious structure, which was erected in 

 1 88 1, but the old lighthouse still stands 

 on its great hill of sand and rock like a 

 sentinel of a forgotten army ready to 

 spring to arms when called. 



Stretching inland behind the original 

 lighthouse is a great dune, or rather a 

 mountain of sand, which has been the 

 savings bank of the winds for untold 

 centuries. The dune is more than 100 

 feet high in many places, and the great 

 plateau on its crest, stretching back into 

 the country for several miles, covers an 

 area of many acres. Slowly but surely 

 the great mass of sand crystals is making 

 its way toward the interior, being pushed 

 back inch by inch by the restless wind, 

 and it is mercilessly engulfing a great pine 

 forest, stretched by a kind Providence 

 across its path, but in vain, for, indeed, 

 nothing seems to successfully withstand 



its relentless, onward march ; it is even 

 rapidly rilling up the Lynnhaven River, 

 a small fresh-water stream famous for 

 its splendid oysters, which seeks to bar 

 its progress. 



The advance of the giant sand dune 

 greatly resembles the movement of a 

 glacier, except that the sand engulfs its 

 prey without sound or groan from either 

 the victim or the conqueror. 



A FAR-EEUNG BATTLE LINE 



The formation of the beach immedi- 

 ately guarded by the Cape Henry light 

 is not changing so rapidly as is the case 

 only a few miles on either side because 

 of its somewhat protected position, due 

 to the many sand bars or reefs far out 

 from shore, which, acting as the first 

 trenches, serve to, break the charge of 

 the white horses of Father Neptune as 

 they dash in from the ocean, and ; because 



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