324 Voyage of the Novara. 



hemmed around with steep abrupt precipices of 150 to ^00 

 feet high, not unlike skilfully-erected bastions, and clothed 

 •with long thick grass. 



As we drew near, we could plainly discern in the water-courses 

 that descend upon the upper slope — radiating, as it were, from 

 all sides of the highest peak, which was enveloped in clouds — 

 rumerous streams of water, each pouring through a rift like a 

 thread of silver, after which, precipitating itself over the steep 

 precipices on the shore, it washed like a small torrent over 

 terraces and banks of lava, till it was lost in the sea. If these 

 streams are swollen by the heavy rain in winter, they may 

 form waterfalls, as mentioned by early navigators, which must 

 impart a far less pleasing character to the landscape. Two 

 small patches of dazzling white, like fresh fallen snow, which 

 were visible high above the slope, we could not make out with 

 the utmost power of our glasses. The green colour which 

 enveloped the entire island seemed to indicate the existence of 

 orass veg'etation resemblino^ that of St. Paul. 



At last, when we had got within two cables' length of the 

 shore, we encountered enormous green flakes of floating sea- 

 weed, which, becoming entangled with the rudder, made 

 further progress possible only by dint of most strenuous exer- 

 tions. This proved to be the same gigantic sea-tangle of the 

 Southern hemispheres {^Macrocystis Pifrifera), which likewise 

 constitutes a barrier oi fucus on the East side of St. Paul. 

 The sea-calves mentioned by older describers were nowhere to 

 be seen ; but on the other hand we had an opportunity of 



