86 



DISTRIBUTION OF PLANTS. 



turned Northward; beating against the wind up Nassau Bay; the 

 weather on the 17th continuing fine, the sky not altogether free from 

 clouds, but the sun out most of the time, and the temperature vary- 

 ing only from 56° to 58° Fahr, 



On the 18th, the Vincennes anchored in Orange Haebor; situated 

 in " S. Lat. 55° 30','' among gently-sloping heights, less steep and less 

 elevated than elsewhere along the coast. The component rock, to 

 the limit of our excursions, proved in general dark-colored ; consisting 

 of trachyte or trap, presenting small irregular cavities, more or less 

 numerous, with occasionally conglomerate alternating and intermixed : 

 but Mr. Dana showed me specimens of fine-grained conglomerate pass- 

 ing into sandstone and containing fossils, and of normal amygdaloidal 

 trap. 



Climate. We had arrived in the closing summer-month of the 

 Southern Hemisphere ; but during my five weeks' stay, (most of the 

 time at sea in the Relief), the 16th of February already-noticed, 

 was the only entirely clear day. From this date, the weather con- 

 tinued fine until the evening of the 20th, but during a portion of each 

 day the sun was obscured by clouds : on the 21st, there was a slight 

 fall of snow : and on the succeeding days, more or less of chilly rain 

 with high winds and thick weather, amply confirming the correctness 

 of King's account of the climate. The temperature during the whole 

 five weeks, varied only from 58° Fahr. to 36° Fahr. 



At this termination of a long narrow body of land, the climate is 

 altogether insular ; and in the absence of any marked distinction of 

 seasons, may be regarded either as perpetual summer, or perpetual 

 winter : being summer according to the vegetation, growing sluggishly 

 throughout the year, and always freshly-green ; and winter according 

 to the boisterous winds, constant chilliness, and frequent hail and 

 snow. But I met with no glaciers, nor with evidence that ice forms, 

 even on the mountain-tops ; where the accumulations of snow were 

 always slowly melting. The absence of clothing, none being worn by 

 the aboriginal people, is further proof, that severe cold is unknown. 



The strand, or shore alluvial. From our anchorage, on looking 

 with a glass around Orange Harbor, a border of rank-growing herba- 

 ceous plants of surprising luxuriance was perceived at the water's 

 edge; overtopped here and there by the white flowers of Cineraria? 

 gigantea in a conspicuous corymb, and more rarely by the beautiful 

 shrub, Hehe decussata. On landing, this luxuriant vegetable growth 



