302 The American Geologist. May, is97 
Anotlier feature of the topography pointing toward subsi- 
dence, and not denudation, is the disproportionate irregular- 
ity of the southern and northern coasts. If the irregularity 
is the result of sinking, this feature would be expected; for 
the northern side was originally lower, and hence, by sub- 
mergence, was more easily separated into islands and penin- 
sulas than the higher, more uniform southern side; but if the 
outline has resulted from erosion, the high, exposed, southern 
side should be the part in which the greatest irregularity 
stiould be found. 
It iiappens that there is other evidence which will perhaps 
be more convincing to those who do not believe in the inter- 
pretation of geological history from topographic features. As 
has been stated, peat beds and cedar trees, covered by accu- 
mulations of blown sand, have been found at depths between 
forty and fifty feet below sea level. Besides this, there are 
numerous caves whose bottoms are below sea level, and in 
some of these stalagmites occur beneath the salt water. This 
is mentioned by several who have visited the islands, and may 
be seen at present in a number of the caves. Even granting 
that the caverns were carved out by water operating below sea 
level, it cannot be conceived that the stalagmites were formed 
while the land stood at its present level. They, at least, must 
have been formed when it was possible for water to drip from 
the cave roof to the floor, above the reach of the tide water. 
Subsidence therefore has occurred, and this to an amount 
equal to forty or fifty feet, and possibly, though not probably, 
to a greater depth. This amount of subsidence will account 
for all the irregularities of outline, excepting the minor fea- 
tures caused by later wave action. 
Summary. The history of the Bermudas revealed by the 
rocks, as I interpret it, is as follows: There was at first (so 
far as the record shows) a base rock formed by the waves, 
which ground up shell fragments upon the beach. This shell 
sand beach was then consolidated into a dense limestone, 
eroded, probably in the air, and finally attacked by the waves 
at an elevation certainly at one time about fifteen feet above 
the present sea level. Hence, first formed beneath the waves. 
