a little creek, near
which stand two rocks, known as "The Old Man and his Wife." Near at
hand was a small fishing-village, in the neighbourhood of which we
visited an ancient amphitheatre, still wonderfully perfect. We here
obtained a guide to conduct us to the church. It must be understood
that the whole shore is covered with fine sand, which is moved in a
wonderful manner by northerly winds. It has gradually swept over the
country, destroying vegetation and covering up buildings as effectually
as has been done by ashes from burning mountains. The progress of the
sand is sometimes gradual and almost imperceptible; at other times, in
the course of a gale, whole villages have been overwhelmed, allowing the
inhabitants scarcely time to escape. Such was the case with this
ancient church and the surrounding habitations. So completely had the
sand swept over it, that it had quite disappeared; and it was only,
after the lapse of centuries, discovered about forty years ago, though a
tradition existed in the neighbourhood that a church had once stood
there. It was discovered by a Mr Mitchell, who, undeterred by
difficulties, succeeded in removing a mass of sand and exposing the
building which had so long been covered up. The masonry is rude, but
the walls are solid and complete. The interior was perfectly free from
the modern accompaniments of Roman Catholic places of worship. There
was no rood-loft, no confessional, no pictures of the Virgin and saints,
nothing to indicate the unscriptural adoration of the wafer, or masses
for the dead. The most diligent search was made for beads and pyxes,
censers and crucifixes; not a fragment of either could be discovered.
At the eastern end we saw a plain, unornamental chancel; in the nave are
stone seats attached to the walls.

Near the church were discovered three skeletons, one of gigantic
dimensions, the second of moderate size, and the third apparently that
of a female; and the wind blowing off the sand, the ground around was
found covered with human bones.

We were deeply interested with our visit to this ancient church, which
tends to prove that our ancestors worshipped God in simplicity and
truth, and that they knew nothing of the forms and ceremonies of Rome.

With regard to these sand-dunes we heard a curious circumstance, that
even a narrow stream will stop the advance of the sand, which will
accumulate on its banks, but has not the power to cross to the opposite