North America . s inundated by the ad-vance over its site of the storm-driven waters of the Gulf ofMexico. The island on which Galveston stands (Fig. 9)was built by the waters of the Gulf, and during the hurricanereferred to they again claimed their own. Northward of Cape Cod, the rocks adjacent to theocean are mostly hard and resistant, consisting largely ofschist, gneiss,granite,trap,etc.,which when undercut by thewaves stand as bold cliffs and headlands. This portion ofthe continental border abounds in picturesque scenery andis abundantly supplied with fine harbours and well-shelteredhavens
North America . s inundated by the ad-vance over its site of the storm-driven waters of the Gulf ofMexico. The island on which Galveston stands (Fig. 9)was built by the waters of the Gulf, and during the hurricanereferred to they again claimed their own. Northward of Cape Cod, the rocks adjacent to theocean are mostly hard and resistant, consisting largely ofschist, gneiss,granite,trap,etc.,which when undercut by thewaves stand as bold cliffs and headlands. This portion ofthe continental border abounds in picturesque scenery andis abundantly supplied with fine harbours and well-shelteredhavens in which boats may take refuge. Typical portions THE MARGIN OF THE CONTINENT 39 of this rugged coast are furnished by the magnificent sea-cliffs of Mount Desert and Grand Manan islands, the boldshores of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the precipitousborder of Greenland. The scenery throughout nearly allof this vast extent of wave and storm beaten rocks is instriking contrast to the mild and generally monotonous. 10 SO 30 VJ M Fig. 9.—Coast of Texas. sand-built shores to the south of Cape Cod. Between theangular headlands and rugged capes at the north, with theirwhite girdles of surf, there are frequently curved beachesand numerous spits and bars of yellow sand which connectthe salients of the shore or extend from them so as tofurnish safe anchorages. Oil the arctic coast of North America the action of theand currents on the land is greatly retarded by ice. 40 NORTH AMERICA and the tides are small, but to what extent these conditionsunfavourable to the work of the sea are counterbalanced bythe abrasion performed by ice-floes is unknown. Thenorthern border of Alaska, as well as the shore of BeringSea, is mostly low and the rocks soft, although certain ofthe sea-capes are bold and are evidently composed of resistantmaterial. The Aleutian Islands present a peculiar exception to thegeneral coast topography of the rest of the continent. Al-though this region has not been studied i
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