436 Report on the Island of Chedooba, [No. 114. 



soil of mud, emitting large bubbles of gas; and besides these there are two 

 spots whence water alone is brought up by the gas. In all these the 

 water or mud is salt, and their number with the four Petroleum wells 

 which are in constant ebullition with gaseous exhalation, seem to ex- 

 hibit this agent as powerfully, and extensively at work, throughout the 

 Island. The minor volcanic vents seldom exhibit any change ; the larger 

 ones when in eruption, which generally takes place during the rains, 

 either throw forth to a considerable height accompanied with flame, 

 fluid mud, which spreads over a certain extent, or the surface effected 

 boils with the escapement of gas, bring too consistent to flow or be 

 thrown up. The angular fragments of stone mixed with the mud are 

 clearly torn from the strata, through which the vent is forced, and small 

 portions of copper ore are found attached to some. 



Besides the volcanoes seen, one was described as existing under water 

 on what is now a reef N. W. of Flat Island, and which a few years since 

 gave forth flame when in eruption. But independent of such direct evi- 

 dence a mere examination of many of the reefs would convince of the fact 

 of the bed of the sea being equally affected with the surface of the land. 



I conclude with the observation that the clearness of the jungle of 

 Chedooba, the healthiness of its climate, and the late clearing of the 

 principal hill tops for purposes connected with its survey, afford for the 

 ensuing fine season a most interesting ground whereon to examine, more 

 minutely than either time or ability would enable me to do, the peculiar 

 geological features thus briefly noticed. 



Examination and analysis of a soil brought from the Island of 

 Chedooba by Capt. Halstead, ofH.M. S. ' Childers, 9 by Henry 

 Piddington, Offg. Curator Museum Asiatic Society, 



This soil was sent with a collection of soils and minerals from Chedooba, 

 for the Museum of Economic Geology, with a request that a report 

 might be made upon them. I was immediately struck with its resem- 

 blance to the finest Georgia Sea Island cotton soil which I analysed in 

 1838, and which has such a peculiar appearance — resembling a mixture 

 of sand and charcoal — that it immediately attracts attention ; I thought 

 it well worth while to ascertain their identity. To show how nearly they 

 are like I set down in parallel columns the results of my examination of 

 the Chedooba soils and of the American one ; the last abridged from my 

 paper on the cotton soils of America, India, Mauritius &c. in vol. VI, 

 of the Transactions Agrl. Soc. of India, p. 198, 



