RECENT EMERGENCE OF LAND DISPROVED. 281 



epeaking, composed of coral, as was evident by our lead 

 never descending to the bottom without bringing up coral on 

 its return, but by coral being found on the highest hills we 

 ascended, particularly on the summit of Bald Head^ which 

 is sufficiently above the level of the sea to be seen 12 or 14 

 leagues distant. Here the coral was entirely in its original 

 state, particularly in one level spot, comprehending about 

 eight acres, which produced not the least herbage on the 

 white sand that occupied this space, through which the 

 branches of coral protruded, and were found standing exactly 

 like those seen in the beds of coral beneath the surface of 

 the sea, with ramifications of different sizes, some not half 

 an inch, others four or five inches in circumference. In 

 these fields of coral (if the term field be allowable), of which 

 there were several, seashells were in great abundance, — 

 some nearly in a perfect state, still adhering to the coral, 

 others in diflerent stages of decay. The coral was friable 

 in various degrees ; the extremities of the branches, some 

 of which were nearly four feet above the sand, were easily 

 reduced to powder, while those close to or under the sur- 

 face, required some small force to break them from the rocky 

 foundation from whence they appeared to spring. I have 

 seen coral in many places at a considerable distance from 

 the sea ; but in no other instance have I seen it so elevated 

 and in such a state of perfection." Captain Flinders, at 

 page 63, vol. i. of his Voyage to Terra Austrahs, has the 

 following remarks on the same appearance : — " Captain 

 Vancouver mentions having found, upon the top of Bald 

 Head, branches of coral protruding through the sand, exactly 

 like those seen in the coral beds beneath the surface of the 

 sea, — a circumstance which should seem to bespeak this 

 country to have emerged from the ocean at no very distant 

 period of time. This curious fact I was desirous to verify, 

 and his description was proved to be correct. I found also 

 two broken columns of stone, three or four feet high, formed 

 like stumps of trees, and of a thickness superior to the body 

 of a man ; but whether they were of coral, or of wood now 

 petrified, or whether they might not have been calcareous 

 rocks, worn into that particular form by the weathe", 1 can- 

 not determine. Their elevation above the present level of 

 . he sea could not have been less than 400 feet." 



Perron says, " On breaking the branches where the in 

 A a2 



