192 PORT DESIRE ^TOWER ROCK. Mai'ch 1829. 



On anchoring off Port Desire (14tli), we found that the 

 Beagle had arrived, but had not met the Adelaide. The fol- 

 lowing afternoon I landed to examine the Tower Rock, a very- 

 conspicuous object, on the south side of this harbour, having 

 the appearance of an enormous dead tree with its branches 

 lopped off. On our way to it we passed over an undulating 

 plain, composed of a sandy light soil, lying on a rocky basis, 

 which in many parts protruded. The soil was so poor, as only 

 to produce a few tufts of grass, and here and there a straggling 

 bush of Berberis, or Piccoli, a dwarf woody shrub, which is 

 much esteemed as firewood by the sealers who frequent the 

 coast. Sir John Narborough, in describing this place, says, 

 "The soil is gravelly and sandy, with tufts of dry seared grass 

 growing on it again : " from the tops of the hills I could 

 see a great way into the land, which is all hills and downs, like 

 Cornwall, toilsome travelling to those who were not used to it." 



The Tower Rock is evidently the remains of what was once 

 probably a considerable rocky mass, which has either been par- 

 tially destroyed by some convulsion, or, more probably, has 

 been gradually worn away by the effect of weather. Like all 

 the debris around, it is of a fine-grained red porphyritic clay- 

 stone, much decomposed, but very hard, and difficult to 

 break.* 



It stands erect at the summit of a mound or heap of broken 

 stones, of all sizes, some being very large blocks, from ten to 

 twenty, or thirty tons weight. It is about forty feet high, and 

 twelve in diameter, having its upper portion cleft, as it were, 

 for about one-third down the middle, which gives it a resem- 

 blance to the forked branch of an immense tree. It is covered 

 with moss and lichen, and, from its peculiar shape and promi- 

 nent situation, presents a very remarkable object. 



Near it we observed traces of an Indian visit, among which 

 was a horse'^s skull. From the sterility of the soil and absence 

 of fresh water, it is probable that it is but little frequented by 

 them. Port Desire is celebrated as being the place where 



* Specimens of this rock are deposited in the Geological Society's 

 Muse um, Nos. 3 and 3 — 1. 



