No. 2.] BULGER — THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS. 101 



the hill, 1,185 feet above the level of high tide. Nothing can 

 be more charming than this pathway, winding, as it does, amidst 

 the profuse and irrepressible vegetation of the tropics, and vocal 

 with the many strange and singular sounds with which creation 

 speaks in these voluptuous latitudes. Noble trees of great height 

 and remarkable for their huge buttressed trunks, staud all around 

 like mighty sentinels, and cast grateful shadows from their 

 green canopies of foliage over much of the ascent, tempering the 

 heat and affording shelter to hundreds of gay and often sweet- 

 voiced birds and marvellous insects, which make their home 

 amidst these vast storehouses of nature ; while clinging to the 

 giant stems and round the great spreading arms of the patri- 

 archal trees, are myriads of parasitic il and climbing plants, 

 rejoicing and luxuriating in the moist warm climate, which though 

 almost free from the oppressive sultriness of the calm regions, 

 possesses much of that fervent life-giving humidity so characteris- 

 tic of the equatorial zone. 



It is not the lea-t of the attraction of this delightful roadway, 

 that in its immediate vicinity a beautiful brook comes dashing 

 down the mountain-side from a perennial spring near the summit, 

 and after a sparkliug and rapid journey, falls into the bay near 

 Hope Town. 



Escaping a drenching shower on the way by the opportune 

 occurrence of a sheltering rock, we reached the summit of the 

 hill in due course of time, and, taking possession of the Commis- 

 sioner's house, regaled ourselves with cool draughts of m ignifi- 

 cent milk, which appeared to be the only purchasable article 

 within reach, notwithstanding th it a considerable portion of the 

 extensive clearing round the bungalow was devoted to the culti- 

 vation of vegetables of different kinds. Other houses, inferior 

 in size and aspect to that which we had- temporarily appropri i- 

 ted, combined to form a sort of village in this charming locality, 

 which seemed to rejoice in a most cool and pleasant climate, and 

 afforded us such a view as is rarely seen even in the tropics. 

 The panorama unfolded by our elevation embraced a vast exteat 

 of sea and land, including Rutland Island and Macpherson's 

 Straits, as well as some of the lofty elevations of the North 

 Andaman, including the Saddle Mount tin, which is visible at 

 sea sixty miies away, and estimated to 2.400 feet in height. 

 Almost below us lay the beautiful harbour of Port Blair, with 

 its various rocky islands, and stretching away to the southward, 

 the forest-fringed lagoons leading to Port Mouat. 



