Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-08-02
GRAND MANAN-ITs ROCKY COAsT-ATTRCA
TIONS TO NATURALISTS.

CORRESPONDENTS OF THE BOSTON ATLAS.
EAsrPoRT, JUSE 81, 1851.
have just returned from passing few days among the
hardy and adventurous inhabitants OF the interesting group
islands known Grand Manan, and have been tempted
by the interest have taken in what ss illness
na =" t-aiat upon Ssur -caaeis e~ o my eAPcrences
This group in all Of nineteen distinct islands, al
though low water four Eve Of the largest
sand bars and edges Of rocks All othem except few Of the
smaller inhabited Grand Manan s by far the largest
and important extends lengthwse, opposite 10 the
American and directly opposite 10 Easpor outside OF
Campo Belo the distance Of about fifteen or twenty miles,
follows very nearly the directions a. our coast ex-
tending from southwest to northeast and twenty miles
in its longest extent and nine miles in its largest breadth
The whole Of its southern westerns and northern sides pre-
sent an almost unbroken series Of high Steep perpendicular
cliff, Of rock from hundred five hundred feet in
height with equal depth Of water their very base In
part from the southern point along the western side, these
cliffs extend nearly fifteen miles without break in their
continuity There no beach, ndentaton harbor shell
Of any kind for the mariner whom evil chance should
upon its forbddng coast North OF the middle OF the
western side is opening, deePened BY means OF aP
preparations of Government which lead to inland salt
waer lake. called Dark Harbor. is protected by high
wall through which channel has been dug, and when
once reached, s perfectly safe haven. CAM however,
only be entered by large vessels at high tide and with certain
favoring ccums ances on the eastern sde OF the sand
are several coves which make oeabe harbo but no.
safe against easey storms which roll into them dangerous
swell and surf. Along this side the island presents vey
different aspect. Its shore is low, and rises with gradual
slope to the western side. Much Of it hcky wooded and
several places cleared tracts Of ground announce the pre-
sence Of cultivated farms Farming not however, carried
on to any extent the inhabitants depending principally upon
fishing for their support.
To the Geologst these islands present very interesting
field Of observation They have not to my knowledge
been visited BY any familiar with this interesting science,
but trust they will bc, and they will richly repay who
ever may take the trouble 10 explore them The bgh cliffs
Of Grand Manan, we'll those Of Of the smaller
islands, are open books the geoogist He has only
fhovp
series Of formations distinctly to be in some
instances in many fifteen successive and distinct layers
different ks Of rock each presenting the appearance Of
having been cut of by sharp instrument if to display it's
characteristics plainly as possible BY what action
this done That Of the Il is some hundreds Of feet
their high level Was the land lower, and
in that position thus worn, and since raised by commissions OF
nature Who tell Some geologists assure US that the
and fifty miles wide has been formed BY the encroach
af the sea- driven in with strong winds and correspond
ing tides, until il has nearly forced its through 70 tho
oppose side and there has only been staid by high and i'm
movable rocks Be this it may, the geology of Grand
Manan, and indeed of the whole bay atbe mouth Of which
situated presents rich and almost exhausess fields for
the researches Of students Of geology am therefore glad to
hear that party Of ra'ualsts from Philadelphia and Boston
contemplate charterg small vessel this summer for the
purpose of exploring its wonders.
To students Of other branches Of the natural sciences it is
equally attractive, and especially to the oInhoogist
The Herring Gull, in habos in mid winter,
the natural ha of these birds prompt them to construct their
nest on the ground and without much pains But their
are great luxury, and much sought after by the inhab
tants The extent which this robbery Of their eggs
ried has led to most remarkable change in their habits
penp tbs elaborate after the of
crows and hawks in high trees With their clumsy webbed
feet and inconvenent b had 1t been done this fact
would appear impossible Nevertheless il is actually true,
and is done by hundreds and thousands. On the
aTwo Islands" "Ross's Island," and "Whte Head"
nearly as many build in lay the ground Several
years since M Audubon witness the of
this change and mentioned in his great work American
onithology Some wseacres, however, the water,
would not believe It, and culed the story absurd ia
brca,ion. Any unheever If there is still any such, may
easily satisfy himself upon the subject and will find that Mr..
Audubon has in nothing exaggerated the unnatural fact
Another interesting archaeological attraction Is the breeding
places Of the Storm Pe,re better known among sailors
Mother Careys Chickens Pefore these islands inha
but have been driven since few Of the smaller unphabed
ones They burrow in the soft ground, bolew logs,
roofs and trunks Of for their in the breeding
season On small island the southern end Of Grand
Manan containing about eight Of ground, found
furoved in every direction by their holes It exagger
alton whaever say that complete Of the colony,
then in the midst Of their breeding, would have numbered
them by thousands. They make the burrows leading
their ness Of various lengths varying from foot even
ten or twelve in extent How they conve to dig these
long channels with their weak bills and small webbed feet s
hardly less wonderful than the nestbuidng Of the Herring
Gull.
EsrHusrAsm ron scIEscE.-Mr. G,BBs who founded
the magnificent cabinet Of minerals Yale College, once
travelling coach somewhere the northern part Of
IN 0f ha~