1841.] Report on the Island of Chedooba. 



good eating. There are a great many varieties of the Crane, some of 

 very beautiful plumage and great size. These constitute the greatest 

 portion of the feathered inhabitants, and would supply perhaps some 

 new and valuable varieties if not species ; Doves are very numerous ; a 

 small green Parrot is found, and some few green Pigeons were seen. 

 But in general, other than have been mentioned, the birds are of those 

 species most commonly met with in these climates. The jungles are 

 however scantily peopled, though I may not omit to notice one which, 

 with its sweet and soft note late in the evening, often gratified us, and 

 was deemed not an unworthy brother songster of the Nightingale. 



The Mineral Kingdom — Though bare of much value, exhibits speci- 

 mens of some interest. 



Nodules of Iron ore of rich quality, are, on search, to be found generally 

 either embedded in the greenish sandstone, or having been detached 

 from it. 



In the former state they were found most numerous, on one of the 

 reefs of the North West Point called the ' Saw reef,' and in the latter on 

 the North beach. But in neither case in quantity sufficient to make them 

 valuable for other objects than those connected with science. 



Specimens of copper ore, and some few of silver, were found on care- 

 ful search, lying on the barren surfaces of the different volcanoes. They 

 are all of very small size, and their amount limited as those of iron, and 

 like them give no indication of the existence of the ore to any greater 

 extent. A piece as large as two eggs was recorded as the largest ever 

 found. 



Petroleum is found on the Island, and might be extensively produced. 



Two wells sufficiently near each other to afford the conclusion of their 

 possessing one common source, exist in the Krae-rone circle, yielding an- 

 nually about 60 pots each. A third is found in the ' Mroomce ' circle, but 

 it has been destroyed by fire, and yields nothing, being the property at 

 present of no one in particular, the soil around it, is, however, full of the 

 oil. The fourth and most extensive is in the Fangroa circle, and yields 

 near 200 pots in the year. 



The method of collecting it is simple ; the earth is turned up to a depth 

 of two feet, and a bank of soil raised round a square of about 20 yards, 

 thus disturbed, so as to form it during the rains into a shallow pond of 

 about the above depth. The surface of this pond is in a constant state 

 of ebullition from the escape of gas, with which comes up the Petro- 

 leum. 



