NATURAL FEATURES OF ISRAELITE BAY. 
565 
mica and felspar, ironstone, gravel, and earthy limestone, characteristic 
of what I term the “ old formation,” while close at hand rears up the 
newer one of hard flinty limestone alone, and on the low-lying country 
between the foot of the cliffs and Israelite Bay, and running right up 
to Point Culver, is the quite recent formation consisting of sandhills, 
but little differing from drift sand, samphire flats, and salt lakes, 
formerly probably banks of seaweed and marshes on the shore, and a 
thin layer of sandstone which is apparently only forming; also, shells 
are found lying intact oil the surface of the dry salt lakes identical 
with those thrown upon the beach to-day. That volcanic action has 
been at work here in the past can hardly be doubted ; we have had 
tidal waves and several earth tremors since settlers first ventured here, 
showing that these forces arc not yet extinguished. Are they still 
working? From indications I have watched on the beach I am inclined 
to think they are; that slowly and imperceptibly the earth is gradually- 
rising above the water. There are channels in the rock on Point 
Dempster, where the waves wash to and fro, which are filled with 
waterworu bewilders and pebbles ; but in these same channels, far 
above the action of the present highest tides, there are still water- 
worn boulders and pebbles. Farther eastward, on the Seventy-mile 
Beach, the land has made nearly half-a-tnile in width since I first saw 
it eighteen years ago ; and at one place there, below some low sand- 
hills, four or five distinct lines of steps or terraces can be seen, as if 
the deposits of sand and seaweed left by the tides were regularly 
receding. Another problem agitating my mind is, Was the granite 
formation forced up through the limestone, lifting the limestone (the 
sea bottom) up with it ? Or was the bed of the ocean raised up till 
it overflowed the adjacent granite belt? To the unlearned bushman 
the indications apply either wav. The cliffs run almost parallel with 
the coastline, but gradually approaching it, till at Point Culver the 
tides wash their base. To say there are no gullies or evidence of 
water action would be wrong; but the contrast to the long, winding 
gulches of the older formation is very marked. These short precipitous 
indentures can hardly be called gullies. I regret I cannot corroborate 
a report I have read by the Government Geologist, Mr. Woodward, 
wherein it is stated that, owing to the porous nature of the limestone, 
water is found oozing out on the face of the cliffs like springs or soaks; 
he has, unhappily, been misinformed. Such a desirable state of 
things would transform everything, the hardships and fortunes of the 
settlors included. Nevertheless, they are not entirely destitute of 
water, for not only on the face of the cliffs but all through the limestone 
there are rockholes, the karo-gabby of the natives, the largest of 
which contain from 100 to 400 gallons of water ; but though generally 
sufficient for aboriginal needs, they are quite inadequate for Europeans 
and their stock. Are these holes formed by the action of water revolving 
a boulder in the softer rock ? There are also “ blowholes,” deep 
round shafts, generally perpendicular and about two feet in diameter, 
of variable depth — some as deep as 150 feet ; others are in a slanting 
direction, and perhaps run for miles. Out of them the wind rushes 
with a roaring sound, with sufficient force to carry a felt hat with if ; 
in others, again, the air is rushing inwards. There are depressions in 
places like landslips, and there are caves, some of them of immense 
•2n 
