1866.] Proceedings of ike Asiatic Society. 215 



the ascent, the surface was quite hot, and the quantity of gypsum had 

 increased so much as to give the surface a whitish appearance ; and at 

 several places were deep fissures, from which a whitish vapour was 

 evolved and sulphur deposited around the openings. 



On arrival at the top, we noted, under the shade of an umbrella, 

 the change in an Aneroid Barometer and a Thermometer we had taken 

 along with us ; and the following was the result, from which we deduce 

 that the height of the cone is as nearly as possible 980 feet. 



Time. Thermometer. Barometer. 



At level of the Sea 6.30. a. m. 82° F. 30.126 



At top of the Cone 7.45. a. m. 88° F. 29.145 



The top of the cone presented on a minor scale the appearance 

 of the outer wall of the Island : so after we had reached the top, we had 

 again to descend about 20 feet into the circular crater forming the 

 centre of the cone, in which two white crystalline masses were dis- 

 covered, which appear principally to be composed of sulphate of Lime. 

 These, as well as a few bags of sulphur, we brought down with us. 



Sulphur. — The quantity of sulphur was very small, and only 

 found around the mouths of the deep fissures, from which the vapour 

 exuded, and far too small in our opinion to be made of any practicable 

 use. 



After we had descended the cone, on the morning of the second 

 day of our stay, it was determined to steam round the Island to look 

 for an anchorage, and in the evening to take on board what fodder 

 had been cut, and then to return. 



We brought from Port Blair with us a number of cocoanuts, 

 plantain trees, and pineapple cuttings, and these we planted on the 

 ground from which the grass had been cut, in hopes that they might 

 be of use to some future visitors. 



Anchorage. — In steaming round the Island, the lead was kept 

 going, but from the deep dark blue appearance of the water it could 

 be judged that there was but little probability of obtaining an anchor 

 rage. The only place where there seemed any chance, was on the 

 south-west, where a small sandy beach, with a heavy surf running, was 

 discovered, above which four old cocoanut trees were seen. A boat 

 was sent towards the shore, and got bottom at 35 fathoms, but as we 

 had not much time to spare, the whole of the ground could not be 



