. Literary pilgrimages of a naturalist. This darkrock softens to wind and weather first and leavesthese White cliffs honeycombed with the tiniestof fissures, so that they are as rough to the handas sandpaper. Dykes of trap run through theisland, and as this rock too is softer than its casingthe winds and waves of centuries have worn itaway, leaving chasms down which you may walkto the tide, between the sheer cliffs. One suchchasm runs quite across Appledore from east towest near the northern end of the island, almostcutting off a round dome of granite from its fel-low rock. The soil lies rich
. Literary pilgrimages of a naturalist. This darkrock softens to wind and weather first and leavesthese White cliffs honeycombed with the tiniestof fissures, so that they are as rough to the handas sandpaper. Dykes of trap run through theisland, and as this rock too is softer than its casingthe winds and waves of centuries have worn itaway, leaving chasms down which you may walkto the tide, between the sheer cliffs. One suchchasm runs quite across Appledore from east towest near the northern end of the island, almostcutting off a round dome of granite from its fel-low rock. The soil lies rich in this narrow hollowbetween ledges, and many things grow in it, lushwith leaves and beautiful with bloom. Here theshadbush had already ripened its fruit. Herethe islands one apple tree grows vigorously,though it dares not lift its head above the levelof the rocks against which it snuggles, lest thezero gales of winter nip it off. Crowding roundit grow wild cherry and wild rose, elder andsumac and huckleberry and chokeberry, all eager. Chasms down which you may walk to the tide between sheer cliffs AT THE ISLES OF SHOALS 51 to fend it from rough winds in that friendlinesswhich seems, like foliage, to flourish in the is a soft turf of grass in which grow violetsand dandelions, both spring and fall, and plantain,cinquefoil and evening primrose have come tomake the place homelike. If rough winds blowhere rougher rocks fend them off, and though theymay whistle over the tops of these in the littlevalley between there is quiet, and floods of sun-shine gather and well up till the place is full. This tiny valley dips toward the sea at the westand broadens to a meadow where I fancy theislanders have at some time grown cranberries,for a few plants remain. For the most part, how-ever, this meadow is set thick with the greenspears of the bog rushes which grow so closetogether that there is little room for anythingelse. To crush your way in among these is topass through a very fo
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booki, booksubjectnaturalhistory
