the coast line nowr,.'and we should fail to recognise, in its present
form, the same Island. Atmospheric action upon the rocks, through
long ages, bringing1 about gradual denudation, has reduced its
elevation, and, with the aid of heavy rains and slight upheaving
force, rendered its surface irregular ; while the uneeasing wear and
tear of the restless ocean on its rocky coast has reduced its area to
almost one half of its original size.
With this figure of the Island in mind, we may next proceed to
view the effects produced by such causes, as have just been mentioned,
upon its surface ; and first in order examine the water-cut gorges
which have been already referred to as intersecting the northern,
eastern, and western portions. These ravines, the largest of whieh
- number about sixteen, originate on the high land near the orater s
edge, but deepen and widen as they approach the sea coast, where
some of them measure not less than one-eighth of a mile across at
the jir i-Uasp ft mile across the top, and a thousand
- , . ».JL f .*.„'1.. y*»*- -m iriiirr'feet in dept n. .vwwsy., «* Hill, »affords
a good type of these huge channel». J'ae -m m **" ®lde
correspond in position so regularly, that any suspicion os îfc o f being
caused by convulsive fractures is dispelled. The passage ot rain
water from the mountain tops towards the sea is doubtless the
chief agent by which they have been formed, and the process of
deepening and widening may still be seen going, on during heavy
rains. The water which falls on the high land rushes down towards
thé sea, and, in its course washing out the rubble and mud beds,
undermines the lava until it splits off in great fragments, rolls down,
and in its turn is carried away. Many caves, formed by the undermining
of the lava beds in this manner, may.be seen along the
hillsides which enclose these ravines, and they also abound along the
sea shore where the waves have washed out the latente beds for
many feet in a horizontal direction. Some of them constitute the
only habitations owned by fishermen ; others nearer the water level
-are in consequence inaccessible, and serve only to increase the roar
of the waves as they foil in and out of them. There is a large one at
Frying-pan Cove, twenty feet in depth, and there are some situated
on the coast near Deep Valley, which are stalactitic, bat these latter
sere only accessible by boat at low tide,
In this manner these channels or gorges have, in course of time,
been g r a d u a l l y increased in size, their enlargement douUiess being
VIEW NORTHWARD DOWN DEMON VALLEY. ;p.58. ■ _ ' .. DETACHED PORTION OF CLIFF N.E.'SIDE OF GPJEG
• Plate 16