r- 223 -5 



glivinc. Near the summit of tlie hill on its northerly 

 side much of the pseudo-stratified rock is ifi a decom- 

 posed state, and so soft as to be readily broken by the 

 hand. Below the mountain landward the rising ground 

 is formed of a thin stratum of volcanic soil of a tena- 

 cious character, and in one place is an accumulation of 

 line volcanic sand washed in all probability from the 

 hill above. On digging one or two feet solid rock is 

 found presenting more or less a stratified appearance. 

 Thft slopes of the hill are covered more or less by grass 

 and other plants found also on the plain, and here and 

 there Vacouas ( PandanusJ iix themselves in the fissu- 

 res of the rocks. 



Beneath the lighthouse and at the level of the sea, is 

 a fissure in the perpendicular rock which forming a 

 cave extends to some distance beneath the mountairt. 

 A small boat can pass a short distance into this cavern ; 

 but I am not aware that it presents any objoct of in- 

 terest. 



From the base of the hill towards the north of the 

 island the volcanic plateau sinks considerably in leviil. 

 This plateau is entirely formed of volcanic rock, and is 

 covered by irregular boulders and blocks interspersed 

 with sufficient volcanic soil for the groAvth of grass and 

 other herbaceous plants ; the blocks of volcanic i-ock 

 and occasional masses of coral rising every^^•here above 

 the vegetation. These coral blocks are scattered more 

 or less over the whole island -iind are found on the 

 northern side of the mountain at the height of forty oif 

 fifty feet above the level of the sea. 



On the north shore opposite Pidgeon Eock there- is 

 a raised embankment consisting of loose volcanic 

 tlocks heaped on each other to a considerable height 

 above the sea. As we proceed westward coral blocks 

 are intermixed with those of a volcanic character until 

 finally the latter disappear and the embankment con- 

 sists wholly of coral. 



In the sinuous ridge which bounds the volcanic part 

 of ihe island to the east, and belueen the mountaiii 

 and the path to the Falis.sades is a small cave, con-. 

 •ii»ling of three chambers- hollowed \\i the volcanic rock, 

 ■^'hc llou oi ill'.- second and tiiiid thuknbei> corisists ol 



