FERNANDO NORONHA. 355 



nearest point of the Brazilian coast. The outline is 

 singular, for the rough hills which cover most of the 

 surface terminate at the western end of the island in 

 a peak surmounted by a column, in the form of a 

 gigantic lighthouse, which must rise over a thousand 

 feet above the sea-level.* Although Darwin passed 

 some hours on the island in 1832, it remains to the 

 present day one of the least known of the Atlantic 

 islands, so far as regards its natural productions. A 

 fellow-passenger who had landed there assured me 

 that he had found granite ; but I have no doubt that 

 the island is exclusively of volcanic origin, for such 

 is the opinion of the few scientific men who have 

 visited it. 



The island has been converted by the Brazilian 

 Government into a convict station, and in consequence 

 access by strangers has become very difficult. Such 

 information as we possess is mainly to be found in 

 Professor Moseley's account of the voyage of the 

 Challenger. On landing there with Sir G. Nares, he 

 at first obtained permission from the governor to visit 

 the island and to collect natural objects ; but the 

 permission was very soon retracted, and he was unable 

 to obtain specimens of several singular shrubs that 

 abound and give the island the appearance of being 

 covered with forest. 



Now that the attention of naturalists has been 

 directed to the especial interest attaching to the fauna 

 and flora of oceanic islands, and their liability to 



* Darwin's estimate of the height was one thousand feet, while 

 Professor Moseley gives double that amount. I incline to think that 

 the lower figure is nearer to the truth. 



