Page:The Geologist, volume 5.djvu/375

Leaving London at a quarter-past eight on a fine Sunday morning, in an excursion train, with (as it appeared to myself and others) nearly 1500 people, we made but few stoppages until we reached Faver- sham, at half-past ten, where those who were going on to Herne Bay had to change carriages. As the next train did not leave for the latter place until ten minutes past eleven, it allowed of time to exa- mine that small but apparently old town. We reached Herne Bay at half-past eleven, stopping at Whitstable on our route. To some persons the journey of three hours and a quarter may appear long, but in reality it is not so, when the distance is considered, enlivened by the number of objects to be seen along the road. The sea is visible for some distance before reaching Herne Bay, and the heights of Sheppey could be very readily distinguished from the south. The railway station is about half a mile to the south-west of Herne Bay, and the latter seemed to be a larger place than I had anticipated. The pier, which is very long, no doubt marks the boundary of what was once the mainland, washed away by the sea. Immediately op- posite the town, the hand of man has provided against further denu- dation. On arriving at the eastern extremity of the town, the cliifs are reached, here commencing by a gentle ascent. Along their sum- mit I leisurely wended my way to Eeculver, some three or four miles distant. A large portion of them had fallen only very lately — indeed, within the past few months, as I was informed ; and to some extent I could recognize the deposits as described by Dr. Michell (Proc. Geol. Soc. vol. ii.), i-e. in that part of the clifts situate between Eeculver and Herne Bay, about two miles in extent. " The upper part, where the beds are fully developed, consists of about 35 feet of mottled, brown, and red clay ; and the lower part of about 50 feet of sand, containing a layer of masses of sandstone. Fossils are stated to be found only in the sand, and to belong chiefly to a species of Venus^ It was this high part of the cliff which was now chiefly in ruins from late slips, the result of the great rains in early spring. I could observe too, many large slabs of this sandstone strewed along the beach. About halfway I came to a deep ravine, and although the cliff here was very steep, I managed to descend and cross it without going half a mile round. I did not stop now until I arrived at the old church of Eeculver, unless occasionally to gaze at it from a dis- tance, its appearance being long familiar to me from the drawings in Sir Charles Lyell's book. I was certainly amply repaid for my visit ; here was before me a good illustration of the wear and tear of the land by the sea, aided by the rains. Years ago I was delighted with the description of this pretty spot, and had often expressed the desire to visit it. Speaking of this place. Sir Charles says, " Still further east stands the church of Eeculver, upon a cliff composed of clay and sand, about twenty feet high. Eeculver (Eegulvium) was an im- portant military station in the time of the Eomans, and appears, from Leland's account, to have been, so late as Henry YllL's reign, nearly one mile distant from the sea. In the ' Gentleman's Magazine'