14 BARREN ISLAND AND ARCHIPELAGO 



subterranean forces had considerably diminished in activity, 

 and at the end of that period only volumes of white smoke 

 with no flame were to be seen. Drs Mouat and Liebig, who 

 visited the island within a few months of each other in 1857) 

 write respectively of volumes of dark smoke, and clouds of hot, 

 watery vapour. In 1866, a whitish vapour was emitted from 

 several deep fissures, and about 1890, steam was seen to be 

 issuing at the top from a sulphur - bed, which was liquid and 

 pasty, and a new jet was coming from a lump on the sloping 

 side of the cone ; while the sole evidence of activity now to be 

 observed is the deposition of sulphur, and an escape of steam 

 that often condenses on the surface rocks. 



Concerning the fauna of the island, birds — inside the crater 

 — were not numerous: commonest were a little white -e}'e 

 {Zosterops palpebrosd), and the Indian cuckoo, which swarmed 

 everywhere, its loud cries, " ko - el, ko - el," resounding in all 

 directions. The only mammals other than the goats were rats, 

 which, while of one species {^Mtis atratus, sp. nov.), afford a 

 rather curious example of range of colouring, for while many 

 were of the usual brown shade, a great number were of a glossy 

 coal-black, much resembling in tint the lava and volcanic dust 

 in which they made their homes. The island is everywhere 

 riddled with their holes, but though so numerous, the land- 

 crabs may fairly claim to divide the place with them. Trapping 

 for rats was a failure, for no sooner was one caught than it would 

 be torn to pieces by the crabs, who in other instances would 

 spring the trap long before the others were attracted by the 

 bait. 



Altogether we landed four times, but soon found that very 

 little variety was to be obtained : the sea, however, swarmed 

 with fish, and many fine catches of rock - cod, trigger - fish, 

 and mullet, 20 to 70 lbs. in weight, were made by the 

 crew. 



Late one evening we left Barren Island, and with a 

 fair though moderate breeze, which, however, soon drew round 

 against us, covered the 36 miles to the Andamans proper, 



