— 14 — 



hurled to Davy] Jones's locker, and ail in her, in a few secondi. 

 The depth of the water is about four fathoms here. 



When all were safely on shore, the boat was taken out 

 some distance from land and anchored, with two of her crew 

 left in to take care of her. 



Near the landing is a cave, made by an immense portion of 

 detached rock having slidden off into the sea, leaving a clifl 

 which overhangs it, and forming a very good shelter from the 

 fierce rays of the sun ; and in rainy weather, the water ipushes 

 in torrents over it, but does not enter. 



This cave rises from the sea, at an angle of 45 degrees, for 

 about a hundred feet, and is approached from the landing 

 rock, on the right of it, by carefully stepping on the small 

 projections on its sides. We descended about 12 feet and 

 then came to the floor of the cave, which we selected as the 

 base of our operations. 



Into this, we took all our worldly goods, and great care 

 was needed to secure them from rolling into the sea: Lay 

 down any solid article carelessly, and away it went with a 

 velocity no efforts of ours could check, into the water and was 

 lost. 



After giving our orders to the men to prepare a meal for 

 UB, we started off exploring. Round Island is about a mile 

 long by three quarters broad ; of extremely irregular forma- 

 tion, frequently intersected by deep fissures, which increase 

 in width towards the sea, where they form singular openings 

 and caves. At a distance it appears like one great solid 

 mountain. 



The J'passage from the base upwards, through a gulch to 

 about 700 ft. is rough and difficult. The most curious geolo- 

 gical phenomena are to be seen in this gulch, which has in 

 the course of ages been worn away by the elements. 



Distinctly visible are the different strata lying on each 

 other, and well defining the different periods. The peculiar 

 forms which these rocks take are very remarkable. Some 

 parts resemble the ruins of old Gothic structures ; others, of 

 a series of elegant pulpits, carved out of red sand stone ; and 

 many are like baptismal fonts, similar to those used at the 



