324 Transactions. 



In addition to the main islet, there are two smaller ones — Nepean, a 

 low islet of coral-sandstone, a few acres in extent, lying about half a mile 

 south of Emily Bay ; and Philip Island, between three and four miles south, 

 a volcanic mass about 900 ft. high, a mile and a half long from east to west, 

 and three-quarters of a mile wide from north to south. 



Norfolk Island is surrounded by clilTs, rising in the north and west to 

 300 ft. or 400 ft., and elsewhere to the height of 200 ft. The only exception 

 to this is the coast-line between Bloody Bridge and Bumbora. Here the 

 coast is protected for a distance of about a mile by rocks of coral-sandstone. 

 This erosion does not seem to have been much greater on one side than the 

 other, but it has obviously been very long continued, and the island is 

 now much smaller than it originally was. This is further indicated by 

 numerous outlying rocks, particularly on the northern side. In most places 

 at the foot of the cliffs there are narrow beaches, usually of shingle. At 

 Anson Bay the heavy shingle on the beach is sometimes replaced by sand. 

 Thus Backhouse, who visited the island in March, 183.5, records that " This 

 [Anson Bay] was formerly a landing-place, but the sand has been washed 

 away, and large stones remain, too rough for boats to venture upon."* 

 This spot was chosen for the shore end of the Pacific cable, partly on 

 account of the sand, as it was feared that boulders would chafe the cable. 

 Shortly after the landing of the cable, some ten years ago, the sand was 

 replaced by boulders, which were still there at the time of my visit. Such 

 changes as these indicate the violence of waves and currents along the 

 coast. On the south coast, opposite to Philip Island, there has been least 

 erosion. Here there has been a considerable growth of coral-sandstone. 

 This growth may have been due in the first place to the protection of Philip 

 Island, which probably at one time extended farther towards Norfolk Island. 

 The coral itself now forms an additional protection, though this too is under- 

 going rapid erosion. It doubtless at one time extended continuously to 

 Nepean Island, which is now often subjected to a fierce sea that must soon 

 destroy it. In spite of the present rapid formation of the coral, f it can 

 scarcely be doubted that it is now being destroyed much more quickly 

 than it is being formed, for reasons perhaps not at present apparent. The 

 long-continued period during which erosion has been going on is further 

 indicated by the high cliff on the south side of Philip Island. This rises 

 to the full height of the island, 900 ft., thus probably indicating that half 

 of the island has been destroyed by wave-erosion, as in the case of such 

 subantarctic groups as the Aucklands and the Snares. 



The interior of Norfolk Island consists of comparatively level uplands 

 from 300 ft. to 500 ft. high, intersected by narrow stream-valleys, sometimes 

 forming ravines often 50 ft. or more deep. The streams in most places 

 fall over cliffs into the sea — e.g., at the Cascades, Keripae, and Buncombe 

 Bay. It is clear that this conformation is due to the fact that the ocean 

 is wearing away the island at a greater rate tlian the streams can cut down 

 their beds. It is only on the south coast of the island that any of them 

 are able to reach the sea except by a waterfall over a cliff. Thus at Bloody 

 Br^e, Bumbora, Town, and Beef-steak the stream-valleys slope down to 

 sea-level, and are not truncated as elsewhere. In this region, but more 

 especially between the cemetery and the pier, the coast-line is protected 

 by coral reefs and coral-sandstone, the product of the older reefs, as already 



* " A Narrative of a Visit to Australian Colonies," p. 258. 

 t Came, Kept. Dept. Mines, N.S.W., 1885, p. 147. 



