328 Voyage of the Novara. 



have obtained above, where all seemed to be covered with thick 

 green grass. But the botanist and zoologist found but little to 

 repay their search on the beach. The same Alg'CF, the same 

 grasses, the same patellcE (limpets), as at St. Paul, even to the 

 same caterpillars swarming upon every tuft of grass in num- 

 berless quantities. At several points, fresh, perfectly good, sweet 

 spring- water trickled down from the heights, and we could thus 

 confirm the delations of former explorers, that the island contains 

 fresh v/ater ; but whether it can be got at, still remains a very 

 uncertain question. As we were convinced, after several exa- 

 minations and much exertion, that to ascend the precipice from 

 this spot was impossible, it was resolved, after the men had 

 rested, and a few observations had been made with the sextant, 

 to re-embark and endeavour to find a more suitable spot for 

 disembarking. 



We quitted this first spot about 2 p.m., and continued to 

 steer along the coast in a N.E. direction. The character of 

 the scenery remained almost unaltered. The steep shore wall 

 indeed dipped somewhat occasionally, but it was never less than 

 100 feet above the level of the sea. At various points there 

 appeared, as at St. Paul, between the tufa strata, black veins 

 of basalt, and fragments of scoriae, lying upon reddish-brown 

 slag. Our curiosity, however, was especially excited by the 

 appearance of small trees and low bushes. At first, while we 

 were yet at some distance, we could barely distinguish a iew 

 dark, clear, green spots amid the universal dull olive appearance 

 of the vegetation that covered the island j now that we were 



