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April 17^th

St Mathias bay. near entrance of St Josephs: a natural section of the cliffs which runs W by N & E by S, show numerous lines of stratification which are exceedingly regular & parallel to each other. — thet at first seemed horizontal but it was evident there was a small dip to the East: that in lines which some miles to the westwards were some feet above the present sea. approached close it in the East. — This is what would happen in the present day; as we [invariably] find the bottom very gradually deepens from same to the East — have successive deposits on so gentle an inclination would dip to the East: For a distance of 20 miles there was a grand division in the cliffs in the upper part, unto between the lower & the blacker upper stratified beds. — these filled up inequalities in the lower: is it not the gravel described in St Josephs bay. — At entrance of St Josephs bay

7 verso

the cliffs seem to rent on horizontal strata of white rock: =

From the very regularity of East dip — & perfect parallelism. it is evident these beds have not been upheaved: — the cliffs are about 60 feet high — to form the crystalline sulp of Lime. — the water must have been deep to have been literally undisturbed.

I found very similar, if not identical coralls growing abundantly in 30 fathom (or 180 feet).

The ocean then in all probability has subsided about 250 feet: Circumstances have not gone on gradually. — water bearing gravel (hitherto only mud) has cut up the lower beds. — & make a change in animated nature. did the water subside suddenly or gradually? It remained whilst the upper beds of very modern shells was were formed. The there the remains of a succession beaches from gradual retirement, on the bottom of the sea: — the arth looks not sandy enough: yet Patellas. Mytilus give some cause of suspicion for former hypothesis. — Naturem in terroga: —

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April 18^th —

The outer cliffs of the

The cliffs on the outside bankof the entrance into St. Josephs bay are about 60 or 70 feet high. —

The lowe bed about 1/2 of ehole is formed of a compact earthy earth & about 1/5 of its weight is composed of shells. — There are chiefly enormous Ostreas: & various (a) species of Pectens also few univalve allied to Turritella: also on Pecten a Balanus & a Coralline. above this another bed more stratified & softer. & (b) rather lighter coloured & seems to contain few or no shells: in this are horizontal layers, but sometimes curved of crystalline transparent sulp: of Lime Selenite — the laminae are at the crystals layer: Curious occurrence layer about [no number] inches thick.

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Above this a bed 2 or 3 feet thick of small round pebbles, chiefly jaspers (K), (or [illeg] rocks stained with iron) & concretions &c: also porphyries : — above this is more earthy bed.

(K) chiefly porphyries: black compact horny base with small crystals of porph felspar & other minerals & mica.

Above this an earthy bed. contains layers of quite different shells.— (c) chiefly Patella. Buccanum. Mytilus. & a sort of Balanus. — there were evidently of a much more [illeg] appearance; & as far as I could judge resemble those now found in Falkland Islands: there were also fragments of shells from lower beds:

These upper shells (as far as

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I could judge in 5 minute different from those now lying on the beach: by the action of the weather, then these sorts are mingled on the beach: what confusion for future geologists: —

Is the line of pebbles the long black line? The pebbles resembled those at M: Hermoso: There is said to be skeleton of whole & corals in these cliffs: cliffs rapidly wearing away: —

[sketch] modern shells pebbles crystal X X shells
though beach of above pebbles
shells

thus weathering by the sea in flat projected table: —

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The shells & abundant corallines were confusedly placed in the Earth. — I am surprised they could flourish so well in water which deposited contained so much mud: beds of great thickness

(a) the Earth is here more arenaceous & (from abrasion of shells?) contain Carb of Lime. —

The great oysters are perforated by Chona celata (& by a Pholas?) marked with dendritic manganese: several coralline. some Flustra; Retepora very abundant & coralline allied to one I called Celleporania & others. — These seem all to resemblethose found near Tierra del Fuego coast in about 20 fathoms:

also a Caryophillia: The shells did not blacken or emit smell in flame

(b) much much more aluminous & finer grained. much carb of lime:

(c) These shells blackened & emitted smell in fire on Mytilus encrusting corallina with paps: retained its blue colour & a Balanus a faint red. — the patella had lost its: In all probability these species now exist but from different locations not on this beach: How gradually suddenly has a perfect change in the shells taken place: a bed of gravel only separates them: