LIZARD ISLAND. 95 



marked B, where he careened his vessel, was quite 

 overgrown by mangroves. 



We could find no traces either of his visit or the 

 more recent one of Capain King, not even the mark 

 of an axe on a stump of a tree. There was very 

 good water in the little watercourse behind (B.) 

 Parrots, doves, and other small birds were abun- 

 dant, and the little plain was as pretty and con- 

 venient a spot as any we had seen on the coast. 



The hill is composed partly of granite and partly 

 of a dark schistose rock, apparently resting on or 

 abutting against the granite. This schistose rock 

 is one of those varieties for which it is difficult to 

 find an accurately descriptive name : perhaps a 

 laminated quartz rock or flinty schist would most 

 nearly describe it. We did not stay long, as our 

 visit was one merely of curiosity. In crossing the 

 bar of the inlet, we found twelve feet on it at noon. 



We then proceded to Lizard Island, under which 

 we anchored in the evening. 



June 5. — Lizard Island is composed entirely of 

 granite. It consists of one bold hill nearly 1,200 

 feet high, and some smaller ridges to the west, 

 between which is a pretty grassy plain. Pumice 

 pebbles were found on this plain at least one or two 

 hundred yards back from the sea, and several feet 

 above any possible tide. It is rather destitute of 

 wood, which was a relief to us after the forests we 

 have always been hemmed in by, and the plain 

 abounded with quail. On this plain is a freshwater 



