LOW ISLES. 101 



veins of quartz. The strata^ which are often 

 flexuous, or shghtly contorted, have a westerly 

 dip of 60", and the strike is N.N.W. and S.S.E. 

 On the windward side there is a long gradual slope, 

 covered with tall coarse grass, among which many 

 quail were found. The shore is fringed with the 

 usual maritime trees and bushes, and an extensive 

 mangrove bed runs out upon the reef in one place. 

 This reef is of great extent, stretching out to wind- 

 ward upwards of a mile, as far as a small rocky 

 isle like a hay-cock. 



On July 7th we anchored to leeward of the Low 

 Isles, in the northern part of Trinity Baj^, in eight 

 fathoms, mud, half a mile from the shore, and 

 remained there for the four succeeding daj^s. This 

 small group may be said to consist of three islets. 

 One is low, sandj^, and well wooded, about 300 

 yards in diameter, and is situated at the north-west 

 extremity of a horse-shoe reef, with its concavity to 

 leeward; the other two may be looked upon as 

 merely groves of mangroves on the reef, the roots 

 of which are washed at high water, except in a few 

 places, where narrow ridges of dead coral have 

 afforded footing for the growth of a samphire- 

 looking plant (Salicornia Indica). The sand}- islet 

 presents no remarkable feature. The remains of 

 burnt turtle bones indicate the occasional visits of 

 natives from the mainland. A solitary megapodius 

 was shot, but the only other land-birds are a little 

 yellow Zosterops, and the larger ground -dove 

 (Geopelia humcralis). 



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