The principal islands of the archipelago are called St. David,
Somerset, Hamilton, and St. George. The latter has a free port, and
the town of the same name is also the capital of the group.
The largest of these isles is not more than seventeen miles long and
five wide. Leaving out the medium-sized ones, there remains but an
agglomeration of islets and reefs scattered over an area of twelve
square leagues.
Although the climate of Bermuda is very healthy, very salubrious, the
isles are nevertheless frightfully beaten by the heavy winter tempests
of the Atlantic, and their approach by navigators presents certain
difficulties.
What the archipelago especially lacks are rivers and rios. However,
as abundant rains fall frequently, this drawback is got over by the
inhabitants, who treasure up the heaven-sent water for household and
agricultural purposes. This has necessitated the construction of vast
cisterns which the downfalls keep filled. These works of engineering
skill justly merit the admiration they receive and do honor to the
genius of man.
It was in connection with the setting up of these cisterns that I made
the trip, as well as out of curiosity to inspect the fine works.
I obtained from the company of which I was the engineer in New
Jersey a vacation of several weeks, and embarked at New York for the
Bermudas.
While I was staying on Hamilton Island, in the vast port of
Southampton, an event occurred of great interest to geologists.
Pages:
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106