GEOLOGICAL AND BOTANICAL BESEABCHES. 67 
sea soundings taken in their neighbourhood prove 
Bermuda to be a solitary peak, rising abruptly from 
a base of only 120 miles in diameter. 
The geological structure of this island was most 
carefully studied; results showing them to be only 
one kind of rock, a grey limestone, which with but 
few exceptions was found to be of a soft, crumbling 
nature, yet capable of being employed for building 
purposes. 
The botanists paid a good deal of attention to 
the flora of the island, for the charming walks through 
the avenues and forests were additional inducements 
to persevere in this study. 
We left Bermuda on the 21st April. On clearing 
the Narrows, soundings commenced around the reefs 
in over 2000 fathoms ; bottom of coral clay. Search 
was made for a reported patch, which was found on 
the 23rd, about 13 miles south-west of the island, with 
32 fathoms of water on it, and a bottom of pebbles 
and stones. Here we anchored for one night, and 
the next day shaped a north-westerly course so as to 
carry a line of soundings to Sandy Hook. 
The weather on the whole was as favourable as 
could have been expected at this season of the year. 
For a few days it was squally, when in the vicinity 
of the G-ulf Stream, but when fairly across this belt, 
fine agreeable weather again greeted us. 
The soundings obtained showed the bottom to be 
fairly level, at an average depth of 2600 fathoms to 
