488 CllATEKS TOilTOlSES WATER. Sept. 



anchored close to a low rugged point, near the north-east end 

 of the island : employed two boats in examining the shore, 

 and landed a party to look for terrapin : Mr. Darwin and Mr, 

 Stokes went to the top of a neighbouring hiU. Throughout this 

 day it blew so fresh a breeze, that double-reefed topsails were as 

 much as could be carried : but I think this strength of wind 

 only prevailed under the lee of the island, where the wind rushed 

 down in squalls, after having been intercepted and checked by 

 the high land. All the hills appear to have been the craters of 

 volcanoes : some are of sandy mud, others are lava. There is 

 plenty of wood hereabouts, though stunted and dry. On no 

 part of this shore is there a chance of finding water ; all is 

 stony, without any soil which could either collect or carry 

 it off. 



Our party brought eighteen terrapin on board. In size they 

 were not remarkable, none exceeding eighty pounds. This 

 animal appears to be well defended by nature ; but, in truth, 

 it is rather helpless, and easily injured. The shell is slight, and 

 becomes weaker (in proportion to the animal's size), as the tor- 

 toise grows older. 



19th. Sailed round the north-east extremity of the island, 

 and worked to the southward against a tide, or rather current, 

 setting strongly to the north-west. 



20th. At daylight we were off the south-east part of the 

 island ; and continued working to the south-west, during the 

 forenoon, along a shore quite bold, excepting the small rocks 

 above water in ' Middle' Bay. At noon, seeing a small cove, I 

 went in a boat to examine it, and look for water. We found no 

 sio-ns of any in that place ; but a little farther west, a fine stream 

 was seen falling from a lava cliff, about thirty feet high. Mr. 

 Low had described this waterfall correctly ; and his account 

 of the watering place near it was soon verified, by our dis- 

 covering a cove half a mile to the westward of the cascade. 

 We landed on a stony beach in the cove, and found a fine 

 stream of excellent water : two others were likewise seen, but 

 they were inaccessible. This water runs from the highest 

 parts of the island (which are almost always enveloped in 



