( 477 ) 
and the water at ebb has been very low. Thus the self-registering 
gauges at Westkapelle On the beach indicated the positions: 
from 1877—1880 2.68 m. below A.P. 
1881—1890 2.95 *„ 
1891—1900 2.81 „ 
On the beach at Katwijk the low-water-mark is —1.84. There the 
ruins of the “Brittenburg” became visible in the 18th century. 
These remains date from the beginning of our era, and would 
therefore point to a sinking of from 1,5 to 3 meters, unless the 
situation should be modified by other causes. 
From these observations it might be deduced that the beach at 
Domburg lies from 2 — 3 m. below A.P. This result is one of the 
principal which have led to the opinion that a not inconsiderable 
lowering of our ground has taken place on the west coast of our 
country since the beginning of our era. 
There are, hownver, many reasons for attributing this fact to other 
causes. 
Since that time dunes have been blown inland over the beach, 
so that they lay more westward in earlier times. According to the 
map published by N. Yisscher in 1670 there were still 4 or 5 ranges 
of dunes on the present beach of Walcberen, and now only one 
narrow range is left. So the others were washed away or blown 
inland. There was great pressure of these dunes on the beach at 
one time, but this has now ceased. The soil, there, consists of clay 
(which now presents a blue colour). This clay rests on a layer of peat. 
Even now detached pieces of peat are found on this beach. This 
layer of clay is the “kwelder” an alluvial deposit outside the dike on 
which as on the Zealand islands in general (and also in Friesland 
and Groningen) the clay sediments were deposited, and on which 
the Frisian and Groningen Mounds (“Terpen”) “terps” and the Zea¬ 
land Mounds (hillocks “Hills”) were erected. 
Now there is a picture extant of the beach, made in the year 
1860, when it was again quite laid bare by the winds, and the 
remains of the habitation were clearly visible. This picture shows 
that the coffins of the old burial ground from the first centuries 
after Christ lie on the beach; so the sand, in which they have lain, 
has been washed away. Yet they must have been at some depth 
under the earth of the burial ground, and not uncovered on the 
bare strand. 
As now the dunes have passed over them, they were exposed to a 
pressure at one time. It is, however, the question if the clay soil was 
32* 
