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PORTER'S JOURNAL^ 



the stream in question existed constantly, where would be 

 the necessity of leaving this cask of water along side of it ? 



This island is mountainous, (as are the whole group,) 

 and is covered with trees from fifteen to twenty feet in 

 height, scattered with considerable regularity, as to dis- 

 tance and appearance, on the sides of the hills, which all 

 have evident marks of volcanic origin ; but what seems re* 

 markable is, that every tree on the island, at least all that 

 could be approached by the boat's crew on shore, and such 

 as we could perceive by means of our perspectives, was 

 dead and withered. This must have been occasioned by 

 the prevalence of an excessive drought, which entirely de- 

 prived them of the necessary moisture. As this island is 

 not of so great an elevation as many others, which has pro- 

 bably been the cause of its suffering more than the larger 

 and higher ones, though they all seem more or less affected 

 from the same cause ; and as all the trees on the islands I 

 have yet seen, appear much of the same size, not excepting 

 those in the most flourishing state, it seems not improbable, 

 that the drought has not only been recent, but that it has 

 affected the whole at the same time. As the whole group 

 is destitute of trees of a large size, it seems reasonable to 

 believe, that their vegetation may be checked at different 

 periods by very dry seasons. To this cause may be owing 

 their being deprived of streams of water ; for although it 

 seldom rains on shore, and never at sea here, yet the tops 

 of the mountains are almost constantly covered with thick 

 clouds, great part of the moisture from which, instead of 

 being soaked up by the light and spongy soil of the moun- 

 tains, would find its way in running streams to the sea, 

 were the islands sufficiently furnished with trees to con- 

 dense more constantly the atmosphere, and interlace their 

 roots to prevent its escape into the bowels of the moun- 

 tains. 



These islands are all evidently of volcanic production ; 

 every mountain and hill is the crater of an extinguished 

 volcano ; and thousands of smaller fissures, which have 

 burst from their sides, give them the most dreary, desolate, 

 and inhospitable appearance imaginable. The description 

 of one island will answer for all I have yet seen ; they 

 appear unsuited for the residence of man, or any other 



