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if not an artificial, connection. The beach on the western 

 side shelves very gradually, and at the lowest ebb of 

 spring tides the island appears as if separated from the 

 continent by a mere stream only. That the sea, too, has 

 been encroaching on all sides, is proved, I think, by the 

 fact that on the shore have been discovered two figures 

 of elephants, eight or nine feet in height, carved out of 

 the solid rock, and which, except at the very lowest 

 tides, are completely covered. There are also remains of 

 a stone structvire running out into the sea, and somewhat 

 resembling a pier ; but whether they have any connec- 

 tion with the apparently mythical bridge, it is impossible 

 to say. 



The island is inhabited by four or five lascars, 

 and a few coolies ; the former have charge of the light- 

 house, which stands on the highest ground, on the western 

 side ; the latter live in a valley on the eastern coast, 

 open to the sea, and the only fertile spot : here they have 

 formed a settlement, and plant grain during the monsoon, 

 and manage, somehow or other, to exist in this dreary 

 land. Good fresh water is found about twenty feet be- 

 low the surface. 



The only other living creatures besides human beings, 

 are, I think, peafowl, which abound, and are wonderfully 

 tame and fearless: no man's hand is against them, for 

 they are deities. To kill a peacock were sacrilege — not 

 a breach of the game-laws. 



The low muddy beach on the northern end is covered 

 with clumps of the melancholy mangrove tree ; the oppo- 

 site coast of Kattiawar I observed to be also fringed with it. 

 Remains of a temple with an image of Buddha in it, a 

 ruined fort and water tanks are to be seen, from which 

 it would appear that the island had been a considerable 

 stronghold some twelve or thirteen centuries ago. 



