OUR ISLAND 19 



ness. The coral drift has swept up among the dull grey 

 rocks and made a ridge beneath the pendant branches of 

 the trees, as if to establish a contrast between the sombre 

 tints of the jungle and the blueness of the sea. Midway 

 along the curve of vegetation a bingum flaunts its mantle 

 a single daub of demonstrative colouring. Away to the 

 north stand out the Barnard Islands, and the island-like 

 headland of Double-Point. 



Rocky walls and ledges intersected by narrow clefts in 

 which the sea boils, gigantic masses of detached granite 

 split and weathered into strange shapes and corniced and 

 bridged at high water-mark by oysters, bold escarpments 

 and medleys of huge boulders, extend along the weather 

 side. No landing, except in the calmest weather, is 

 possible. To gain a sandy beach, the south-east end of the 

 island, passing through a deep channel separating the rocky 

 islet of Wooln-garin, must be turned. Although there are 

 no great cliffs, no awesome precipices on the weather side, 

 the bluff rocks present many grotesque features, and the 

 foliage is for the most part wildly luxuriant. 



From what has been already said, it may be gleaned 

 that in the opinion of the most interested person the island 

 is gilt-edged. So indeed it is, in fact, when certain natural 

 conditions consequent on the presence of coral are fulfilled. 

 A phenomenally high tide deposited upon the rocks a slimy, 

 fragile organism of the sea, in incomprehensible myriads 

 which, drying, adhered smoothly in true alignment. With 

 the sun at the proper angle there appeared, as far as the 

 irregularity of the coast line permitted, a shining band, 

 broken only where the face of the rock was uneven and 

 detached a zone of gold bestowed upon the island by the 

 amorous sea. But on the beach the slime which transformed 

 the grey and brown rocks was nothing but an inconsistent, 

 dirty, grey-green, crisp, ill-smelling streak, that haply vanished 

 in a couple of days. As I see less of the weather side than 

 I do of the beach, I argue to myself that it is nearer perfec- 

 tion to be minus a streak of dirt than plus a golden edge. 

 At no season of the year is the island fragrantless. The 



