Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-01-02

prepared by the National Geographic So
ciety. Washington. D. CO
The Bermudas, which get scant con-
sideration throughout the rest of the
yehr, may be thought of as becoming
more prominent on the map of the At
lantic as the winter season APP
proaches for these Islands have grown
to be one of the favorite winter resorts
of residents of the northeastern United
States. The popularity of these Allan
tic islands rests probably. on the fact
that they have neither the rigors of
the north temperate zone nor the en-
ervating climate of the tropics.
1t is stretching things bit to class
ify the Bermudas as part of North
America. but at least they are closer
to this continent than TO any other.
They are about as far from our Allan
tic coast to the east as the Mississippi
river is to the west, with 600 miles of
water between them and the nearest
land. Cape Hatteras. They are stu
ated southeast of Hatteras. however,
In the latitude of Charleston, S. G.
The closest affiliations of the Ber-
mudas in spite Of the 800 miles of In
tervening ocean are with the Bahamas
to the southwest. They may be said
to be tied to these and other Islands
of the Antilles by currents of water
and air Because the fringing cur
rents of the Gulf stream flow from the
Bahamas to the Bermudas most of the
~ ho In iuIunHc
to have been brought from the former
ar their bigger neighbors. Air cur
rents, too. flowing in the same general
direction assist bird migrations to the
tiny bits of land far out In the Atlantic.
THEIR bird life, therefore, is almost q
duplicate of that of the Bahamas.
The land area of the Bermudas is
only about 20 square miles, less than
the area of Manhattan island Only
five of the islands are of considerable
size and these, lying very close to-
gether, have been Joined by causeways
and bridges until they now constitute
practically d single body of land. In
addition there are numerous small is
lets and rocks exposed at low tide.
Tie exact number depends on how
many Of the reefs are counted; but
Bermudans are fond of saying there
are 365-one for each day in the year.
The group Is roughly in the form of
fishhook with the curved end toward
the southwest and at no point Is the
land much more than mile wide.
Coral on Volcanic Base.
Since the Bermudas lie so far from
other land and since they are of coral
formation in a region far north of the
usual occurrence of the coral poyps,
they were something of q mystery TO
early scientists. 1t was found, how
ever, by study of the nelghboring
ocean, thar the Bermudas rise from a
narrow arm Of the Atlantic plateau
and have volcanic base. The coral
formation extends less than thou
sand feet below the sea level; and
since the COAL animals are known to
be unable to live far below the sur
face, 1t Is surmised that the foundation
sank as the creatures built the super
structure. The Bermudas just escape
heing stable land body. From the
ends of the island group coral reef
sweeps ten miles TO the west forming
with the land an oval enclosing an
area of some 200 square miles. The
reefs are just awash and constitute a
danger to navigation that long made
the Bermudas notorious. Inside the
10 fxf Lob X n
GO fathoms deep.
Unlike many of the coraline islands
of the Pacific. the Bermudas proper
are not low and fiat. The coral frag-
ments washed up by the waves We're
blown into hills; the materials then
consolidating into stone.
The Bermudas were discovered with
In less than generation after the
FIRST voyage of Columbus. Juan Ber-
mudez a Spanish navigator. was
wrecked on the islands about 1915,
anS the group thus came into notice as
was TO be added to in after years.
Bermudez found no inhabitants or
evidences of former inhabitants and
about all Of interest that happened
In connection with his visit was the
escape OF some hogs which later
stocked the islands. For eighty years
tile isles dropped out of sight. to bob
up second time in connection with a
sea tragedy when May, an Englishman,
was east on shore there In 1894. May
and bis companions escaped In sln"l
boat after u five months stay.
Then In 1909 cs1ne the wreck winch
weHily beguu Bermuda history. The