CHAPTER I. 



SAINT Paul's rocks. 



Saint Paul's Rocks, situated in mid- Atlantic, 

 about 540 miles from the nearest point of the 

 coast of South America, and 15 miles north of 

 the equator, are probably the most interesting 

 rock-islets in the world. 



Roughly about half a mile in circumference, 

 this group is composed of five peaks of rock, the 

 highest of which is only 64 ft. above the level of 

 the sea. Darwin has stated* that Saint Paul's 

 group is not volcanic, and thus forms the only 

 island in the world, with the exception of the 

 Seychelles, that is of neither volcanic nor coral 

 formation. 



These rocks are surrounded by deep sea, and the 

 Challenger Expedition could discover no ridge 

 under the sea to connect them either with the 

 mainland or with the islands of Fernando de 

 Noronha, about 200 miles to the south. 



Owing to their small size. Saint Paul's Rocks 

 cannot be seen, even in clear weather, from a 



* " Voyage of the ' Beagle.' " 



