334 TUE ATLANTIC. [ c h a p . IV.
flo o r o f th e cu p h y th e d e p o s it o f suceessiA'e la y e r s
o f s t a la gm it e ; a n d th e s t a la gm it e p r o d u c ed h y th e
drop p e r c o la t in g in t o th e l im e s t o n e o f th e flo o r
h a r d e n s i t s t i l l fu r th e r , b u t in th is p e c u lia r s ym m
e t r ic a l Avay. From th e flo o r a n d s id e s o f th e cu p
th e AA’a te r o o z e s in t o th e so fte r lim e s t o n e a r o u n d a n d
b e n e a th ; b u t , a s in a l l th e s e lim e s to n e s , i t d o e s n o t
o o z e in d is c r im in a t e ly , b u t folloAvs c e r ta in m o r e fr e e
p a th s . T h e s e b e c om e s o o n lin e d an d f in a lly b lo c k e d
AA’ith s ta la gm it e , a n d i t is th e s e tu b e s a n d th r e a d s o f
F i g . 84.—C o n c re tio n s in yEolian ro c k , B e rm u d a s .
s t a la gm it e Avliich aftervA'ards in tb e p s e u d o - fo s s il
r e p r e s e n t th e d iv e r g in g r o o t le t s .
S om e t im e s Avhen tAvo or m o r e d r o p s f a ll fr om
s t a la c t it e s c lo s e to o n e a n o th e r th e cu p s c o a le s c e
(F ig s . 80, 81, a n d 8 2 ); s om e t im e s o n e d rop o f tAvo is
m o r e f r e q u e n t th a n th e o th e r , a n d th e n Ave h a v e th e
fo rm shoAvn in F ig s . 81 a n d 82 ; s om e t im e s m a n y
d rop s ir r e g u la r ly s c a t t e r e d fo rm a la r g e p o o l Avith
it s r a is ed b o rd e r , a n d a few d ro p s m o r e f r e q u e n t an d
m o r e c o n s ta n t th a n th e r e s t groAV th e ir ‘ p a lm e t to
CIIAP. IV.] ST. THOMAS TO BERMUDAS. 335
stems ’ within its limits (Fig. 83) ; and sometimes
a numher of drops near one another make a curious
regular pattern, with the partitions hetween the
recesses quite straight (Fig. 84).
I h a v e a lr e a d y r e fe r r ed to th e r a p id d e n u d a t io n
Avhich is g o in g on in th e s e is la n d s , a n d to th e e x t e n t
t o AA’h ic h th e y h a v e b e e n d e n u d e d w i th in c om p a r a t
iv e ly r e c e n t t im e s . T h e flo o r s o f c a v e s , fr om th e ir
b e in g c em e n t e d in t o a n e a r ly h om o g e n e o u s m a s s b y
s t a la gm it i c m a t t e r , a r e m u c h h a rd e r th a n th e o r d in
a r y p o r o u s bloAvn l im e s t o n e ; a n d it s e em s t h a t in
m a n y c a s e s , a ft e r th e r o c k s f o rm inOg th e w a lls a n d
roof have been removed, disintegration has heen at
all events temporarily arrested by the floor. Where
there is a flat surface of rock exposed anyAvhere on
the islands it very generally hears traces of having
heen at one time the floor of a cave, and as the
weather-wearing of the surface goes on the old concretionary
structures are gradually brought out again,
tbe parts specially hardened by a localized slow infiltration
of lime resist disintegration longest and
project ahove the general surface. Often a surface
of weatiiered rock is so studded with these symmetrical
concretions, th a t it is hard to believe th at
one is not looking at the calcified stumps of a close-
groAving grove of palms.
All the figures are portraits, and are taken from
a single group on Foaz Island.
Ireland Island, tbe extreme island of tbe chain
to tbe AvestAvard, contains tbe dockyard Avith tbe
Government basin and tbe Avonderful iron floating-
dock, AA bicb Avas made in Fngland, and towed across
tiie Atlantic Avitb so mucb labour and risk a few
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