86 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. VI. 



mainland is also a larger island, which has evidently been 

 separated from it by the bursting of a narrow passage, and 

 its subsequent gradual wearing away by the sea, which 

 washes through at high-water. This is Palm Island, upon 

 which, however, no palms grow ; but a few Cycads, which 

 have probably been mistaken for them. 



Ke-lung harbour presents many remarkable and iateresting 

 features. The north side is picturesquely indented, and 

 more or less covered with luxuriant foliage ; but the south 

 side, where the ascending strata are abruptly broken off, 

 presents a beautiful succession of rounded knolls, separated 

 by narrow valleys and steep-sided ravines ; the whole being 

 densely clothed with trees and verdant underwood, in which 

 occurred yeUow Cassidee of various species, and great numbers, 

 of a beautiful fringed land shell (Helix trichotropis). Several 

 caverns exist upon this side of the harbour: The largest and 

 most remarkable of these was reported to be of very con- 

 siderable extent, and mysterious tales were told of the 

 difficulty or impossibility of exploring it ; we therefore de- 

 termined to make the attempt. The entrance was prettily 

 ornamented and overgrown with ferns, lycopods and 

 begonias; it faced the mouth of the harbour, and was 

 lofty and spacious, having a sandstone roof above of 50 or 

 60 feet in thickness. The main cavern was arched and 

 symmetrical ; but we soon found that this part at least was 

 very limited in depth, for having penetrated about 50 yards 

 we arrived at its extremity. It was rather damp, and the 

 floor was of hard sandstone, presenting no indications of any 

 deposit in which one might look for organic remains with 

 any chance of success. In the left wall, however, we found 

 a narrow fissure, which was the reaUy unknown portion, and 

 being provided with a magnesium lamp, we squeezed our- 



