1835. ALBEMARLE ISLAND CRATERS. 493 



we caught were not venomous. Among the useful vegetables 

 we noticed the plaintain, pumpkin, yuca, Quito orange, castor 

 oil plant and melon, besides those before mentioned. 



Returning on board we met Mr. Stokes on his way from 

 the southern parts of the island : he described the lava there- 

 abouts as having such a form and rugged surface as the sea 

 would present if suddenly congealed, while ruffled by a very 

 strong wind. 



26th. After completing the necessary observations in Post- 

 Office Bay, we weighed and worked round to an anchorage off 

 Black Beach : and at nine in the evening Mr. Chaffers re- 

 turned, having been round the south side of this island after 

 visiting the small eastern islets. He found much difficulty in 

 landing on them, but succeeded, and from the top of Gardner 

 . Islet saw a dangerous breaker about a mile to the south east- 

 ward. 



27th. Being Sunday, many of the officers and ship's company 

 were on shore in the afternoon, and some of the officers went 

 to the top of the highest hill, which has a crater, as have all 

 the hills we examined about these islands ; and these craters are 

 all similarly broken down on the side towards the south. 



28th. Having taken on board live pigs and a quantity of 

 vegetables, we weighed and stood towards Albemarle Island. 

 Four small islets, the remains of volcanoes, lie near the low 

 south-east extreme of this island, and together with Brattle 

 Islet, are extremely useful in warning vessels of their approach 

 to a very dangerous piece of coast. So low are the sovith-eastern 

 extremities of Albemarle Island that they are not discernible 

 until you see the surf on the shore. A heavy swell setting to- 

 wards the land, and generally light winds, add to the danger 

 of getting near this coast ; but there is anchorage in case of 

 necessity. 



Albemarle Island is a singular mass of volcanic ejections. 

 Six volcanoes have there raised their summits from two to 

 four thousand feet above the ocean, and from them immense 

 quantities of lava have from time to time flowed towards the 



