458 



GALAPAGOS ARCHIPELxVGO. Oct. 1835. 



symmetrical. It was elliptic in form ; the longer axis being 

 less than a mile, and its depth about 500 feet. The bottom 

 was occupied by a shallow lake, and in its centre a tiny crater 

 formed an islet. The day was overpoweringly hot, and the 

 lake looked clear and blue. I hurried down the cindery 

 slope, and choked with dust eagerly tasted the water — ^but to 

 my sorrow I found it salt as brine. 



The rocks on the coast abounded with great black lizards, 

 between three and four feet long ; and on the hills, another 

 species was equally common. We saw several of the latter, 

 some clumsily running out of our way, and others shuffling 

 into their burrows. I shall presently describe in more 

 detail the habits of both these reptiles. 



October 3d. — We sailed round the northern end of 

 Albermarle Island. Nearly the whole of this side is covered 

 with recent streams of dark-coloured lavas, and is studded 

 with craters. I should think it would be difficult to find 

 in any other part of the world, an island situated within 

 the tropics, and of such considerable size (namely 75 miles 

 long), so sterile and incapable of supporting life. 



On the 8th we reached James Island.* Captain FitzRoy 

 put Mr. Bynoe, myself, and three others on shore, leaving 

 with us a tent and provisions, to wait there till the vessel 

 returned from watering. This was an admirable plan for the 

 collections, as we had an entire week of hard work. We 

 found here a party of Spaniards, who had been sent from 

 Charles Island to dry fish, and to salt tortoise-meat. 



At the distance of about six miles, and at the height of 

 nearly 2000 feet, the Spaniards had erected a hovel in which 

 two men lived, who were employed in catching tortoises, 

 whilst the others were fishing on the coast. I paid this party 

 two visits, and slept there one night. In the same manner 

 as in the other islands, the lower region is covered by nearly 

 leafless bushes : but here many of them grow to the size of 



* Both Charles and James Islands take their names from the Stuarts. 

 See Cowley's Voyage in 1684. 



