98 MR. JOHN HEWITT 



Notes on the Fauna of ^Sf. Croix Island. 



By J H X He w i tt. "■ 



During the pioneer trip to S. Africa in the year 1488, 

 Bartholomew Dias rested liis crew on a small rocky island 

 in Algoa liay, and being favourably impressed, erected 

 thereon a cross, according to a custom of I'ortuguese 

 exj)lorei's. Thus it became known to seamen as the island 

 of the Cross, Santa Cruz, or St. (,'roix Island. To day, 

 the historical pilgrim may search in vain for any trace 

 of The original cross, but his labcmi-s will be amply re 

 wai'ded ))y the unique exhibition of animated nature: 

 landing at St. Croix he will enter a new world. 



An o})i)ortunity of visiting this little known island was 

 recently atfoi-ded me through the kindness of Mr. Holford 

 A\'alkcr of IN. Elizabeth. My host, and his son Edward 

 were jirimarily inspired by a zeal for fishing: my own 

 intei-ests were more general, embracing the whole fa.ina. 

 Travelling in a motor boat, comfortable enough but 

 tainted with the malodorous paraphernalia of profession- 

 al fishermen as well as nauseous gases from the engine, 

 the writer so(m became (juite hois <Je romhat: the numer- 

 ous sea-birds, and the hauls of lai-ge Ketunkel (pr-esum- 

 ably Thynnus ])elamys) causing considerable excitement 

 amongst the ciew, had ])erforce to be disregarded, and 

 even the distant view of the rugged rocks of St. Croix 

 was quite repellent. 



At first sight, it suggests the peak of a submerged 

 mountain, the rocks rising to a height of 1!)5 feet and 

 sloping rai>idly to the sea, with no sandy shore oi 

 gi'jivelly beach. St. Croix is an isolated mass of Table 

 Mount. lin sandstone, and from its hard white iocks. 

 abounding in qnai-tz, great angular blocks have split off, 

 fo be strewn in endless confusion tliroughout the whole 

 area. 



