INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. xix 



standing on end, occupy a flat of about three acres. From their 

 striking resemblance to tomb-stones, this place is called " the 

 church-yard." I examined it with attention, and was led to 

 conclude that its very singular appearance has been occasioned 

 by a water-spout, descending with fury ; and by dashing out the 

 soil and washing it down the adjacent ravine, has thus entirely 

 uncovered the stones. 



An attempt was made to form some of the stones, taken from 

 the vicinity of the church-yard, into mill-stones: but being 

 brittle and laminated, and withal extremely hard, it was found 

 impossible to manufacture them. This sort of stone, when struck, 

 emits an agreeable sound. 



The sea-coast is generally bordered with rocks ; and in its 

 vicinity as well as in some parts of the interior, are excellent 

 quarries of honeycomb stone and basaltes. The former being of 

 a softer and tougher texture than the latter, is therefore esteemed 

 by far the best ori the island for buildings. Both, however, are 

 evidently composed of the same material ; that is, of the clay 

 above-mentioned. 



It seeuis to me that basaltes is changed into honeycomb by 

 coming iu contact with fire ; for I have observed in many quar- 

 ries an exterior coating of honeycomb passing so insensibly into 

 an interior basaltic bed, and so intimately blended with it, that it 

 was impossible to discover at what point the honeycomb ended, 

 or the basaltes began. 



The most remarkable quarry which I observed of this sort, is 

 on the high road between High Knoll and Plantation-house. 

 Here, upon viewing the exterior, it was expected to find a valua- 

 ble quarry ; but after penetrating a few feet into the hill, it was 

 found that the hone^'comb was insensibly blended with the 

 basaltic stone. This fact seems to correspond with what is stated 

 by Sir William Hamilton, " that basaltes is fusible /^er se ; that 



