60 VOYAGES OF A NATURALIST 



largest being connected together by a narrow- 

 strip of land which is only noticeable at low 

 water. 



It does not seem to have been previously 

 mentioned that when approached from the south- 

 east, three of these islets bear a striking resemblance 

 to the outline of South Trinidad, though on a 

 much smaller scale. The largest of them is about 

 300 feet in height, and its sides are precipitous ; 

 but the summit appears to form a plateau. If 

 the ground of this island is as brittle as that of 

 South Trinidad, I should imagine that it would be 

 nearly impossible to climb to the plateau. No 

 one, however, has, so far as I can ascertain, landed 

 on Martin Vas. 



It has been said that the heavy surf makes it 

 impossible to land. At the time of our visit, 

 however, the weather was exceptionally fine 

 and the sea quite smooth, and had we been able 

 to spare the time, we could without any doubt have 

 got ashore on the largest of the islets. 



As we approached numbers of the greater 

 frigate bird appeared and circled overhead. Many 

 sooty terns* also came off from the main islet, 

 and these in company with the common noddy 

 seemed to be the commonest birds inhabiting 

 the group. A few Wilson's and Trinidad petrels 

 were observed, but all these were flying over the 

 sea, either in the direction of, or away from, 



* Sterna fuliginosa. 



