£6*8 HISTORY OF 



In a patch of naked sand, on one of the most 

 lofty parts of the island, not less than 100 feet 

 above the sea, within a few hundred yards, lav- 

 scattered a number of broken branches of dead 

 trees, from one to three inches in diameter, and 

 apparently of a kind similar to the large brush- 

 wood. Amid these branches were seen sticking up 

 several white stoney stumps, of sizes ranging be- 

 tween'the above diameters, and in height from a 

 foot to a foot and an half. Their form, together 

 with a number of prongs, projecting in different 

 directions around their base, and entering the 

 ground in the manner of roots, presented a strik- 

 ing resemblance to the stumps and roots of trees. 

 They were extremely brittle, a slight blow with 

 a stick, being sufficient to break them; and 

 when taken into the hand, they broke to pieces 

 with their own weight. 



When broke transversely, it was seen that the 

 internal was divided into interior or central, ex- 

 terior or cortical. The external part, which 

 occupied various proportions of the whole, re- 

 sembled a fine white and soft grit-stone; but 

 acids being applied to them, shewed it to be 

 combined with a considerable portion of cal- 

 careous matter. The interior or central part was 

 always circular, seldom found the same diame- 

 ter, or of the same composition, on any two 

 stumps. In some, the calcareous and sandy 

 matter had taken entire possession, so that the 

 wood was completely obliterated ; but yet a cen- 

 tral ring remained. In others was a center chalk, 

 quite white, which crumbled between the fin- 



