5 
captain of the sealing schooner on which thej made their trip,* 
In the Maritham account amtioned in my other letter some Charles 
Island caves ere referred to. It does not go\aid as though they are the pirate 
caves near fi timer's place, ttiough the description of the spring fits either 
his or the Baroness*. Or did they find soae otiiei* spring that we have not yet 
aem? Markham says, ^Having walked about five miles into the interior, we ob- 
served what appeared to be a siccession of caves, ^aiBetrically dug out, at the 
base of a hill. On approaching, a truly wonderful sight presented itself to our 
ejes, fhe wavities we found to be natui’al excavations in the lava similar to 
those seen and described by Darwin on one of the other islands of the group, and 
fortaed, as he supposes, by the aibterrsaean vapours permeating through the soft 
lava whilst yet in a state of fusion, and producing gigantic bubbles, which, 
bursting, formed the caves we saw. 
“These dens, which is the most appropriate term I can use for thm, 
had evidently be«i utilised by the foraer inhabitants both as residences and 
cooking places, traces of fire being still plainly diecemible. In soae, the half 
consmEed asties were visible. Some of these excavations took the fora of roads, 
having naturel walls on either side froa 8 to 10 feet in height, I never in my 
life saw a place so admirably adapted ly nature for defensive purposes, A saall 
party of resolute men in possession could with ease defy and keep at bay more 
tiisa twmty times their a'uaber. 
“In the vicinity of this weird-looking place was a secluded and shaded 
grotto, around which grew in luxuriant profusion clusters of various kinds of 
feras, whose graceful fronds waved over s bright, sparkling stream of pui-e 
pellucid water, wMch trickled down with a musical marsitiring from the rocks above. 
It Eas a sight to soothe and delight the eye, as we approached, nearer to inspect 
this beautiful glen, end to aoistea our parched throats with a draught from the 
glittering rivulet, 
"Two or three large orange trees, fully 20 feet in height, were grow- 
ing in the neighbourhood, their well-ladm branches affoi'ding an excslleat pro- 
tection from the sweltering rays of t^ie fierce tropical sun to which we had been 
exposed. So fruitful were these trees that it caused one of ay companions to 
observe, very truthfully, that their boughs contadned more oranges than leaves," 
lou should scffle year try to get soae airplane pictures of Charles at 
least. An album of airplane photos of Uie islands, like the Peruvian one I 
show^.you, could be published any time after the pictures were taken, and would 
create quite a stir and no end of favorable coaaent, It*s never been done. 
Such a book or booklet would need little or no text other than captions under the 
full page plates. This would also give you some fine movie stuff for your 
lecture series. 
My enthusiag® for what you and Captain Hancock are do.iag askes my 
think box woi‘k over time. That’ s how I happen to drag in the matter of airplane 
views and talk of scaling Culpepper, Xou and your interests are a great deal 
more in ay mind than my occasional letters might lead one to believe. 
