17 



from below. The basaltic rock is intersected by three systems of parallel planes of imperfect 

 cohesion, which divide it into rhomboidal pieces, the sides of which are white, owing to a 

 slight superficial deeomposition. Of these systems of planes one has a strike NW. by W. 

 nearly, and is almost vertical but with a slight, dip easterly. Another runs NE. by E. 

 nearly, and deviates more from vertical to the SE. by S. than the other. 



Proceeding along the beach to the eastward I found a large mass , on the SE. side of 

 which was the remnant of a basaltic dyke which was marked by a few horizontal grooves. 

 The face of the remnant is cavernous, and looks as if it had been torrefied. Further on 

 I noticed a small portion of basalt adhering to a large syenitic block. The next noticable 

 rocks were some masses of soft semidecomposed syenite with the surface to some depth ve- 

 sicular. This is possibly due to the continued action of the waves and the atmosphere. 



To the E. of this I found on the beach a small globular rock, 8 to 4 inches in diameter, 

 of a volcanic appearance. Externally it had a smooth enamel of a reddish and blackish 

 brown colour. This is succeeded by a red and reddish yellow band from */ 4 to % of an 

 inch thick. Internally it is a uniform finely vesicular mass of a dull brown hue and with 

 a portion drusy. Near this the beach was plentifully strewed with small stones, many re- 

 sembling those found on some of the Singapore hills , and amongst which ferruginous 

 fragments of semidecomposed rocks, granite , syenite, greenstone etc. can be recognized. 



The hilly point was succeeded by a mangrove flat, which continued till we reached the 

 point opposite the western end of Pulo Tam. The mangroves fringo the point which is 

 the extremity of a hill of a brownish red soil without any rocks exposed. The soil appears 

 to be deep and tolerably friable. The forest trees are tall and luxuriant , but many of the 

 finest have been felled by Chinese woodcutters, by whose tracks I was enabled easily to ascencj 

 the hill. 



Beyond this Point, and along the greater portion of the strait of Pulo Tam, the coast is a , 

 mangrove jungle. There is a small creek at one place, and so far as I could judge from 

 the appearance of the hills on either side it seemed probable , that the mangroves here 

 extend quite across the Island , and that it formerly consisted of two separate islands. The 

 northern coast on the opposite side of the Island is also the margin of a broad mangrove 

 swamp which I observed to be likewise penetrated by a creek. If there is one continuous 

 creek across there must still be in fact two islands. Towards the E. end of P. Tam, where 

 we again come in sight of the Singapore coast, two lines of high jungle rising over the 

 mangroves mark the direction of the next hill flanks. The base of the first is wholly en- 

 veloped by mangroves. The next advances to the beach at one spot where a reddish rock 

 rises immediately from the water to the height of about twenty feet. The front alone is 

 exposed. The sides are shaded by the jungle, and over the summit is a luxuriant canopy 

 of shrubs and small trees which fairly entitle it to be called the fertile roek. One of the 

 trees is exceedingly beautiful being covered with a dense mass of dark green glossy foliage 

 which it seems to spread triumphantly , towards the loftier trees growing around it and 

 rooted in the soil but less adorned than their sister of the rock. The face of the rock is 

 scaling off. It decomposes into a deep red earth , and the prevalence of iron which colours 

 the soil probably also gives the dark green to the vegetation which it supports. The whole 

 22 ,le deel. 1847. C. 



