378 
SURVEY OF THE INTERTROPICAL 
1820. principal spars ; and that a great portion of the 
Aug~y. smaller planks had been destroyed by the na- 
tives’ fires. We took the opportunity of col- 
lecting some iron-work and teak planks, which 
afterwards proved more serviceable than we, at 
the time, anticipated. 
Mr. Cunningham and Mr. Hunter walked about 
the island, but did not meet the natives. The 
traces both of men and dogs were so recent as 
to make us conjecture they were at no great dis- 
tance; but, from our subsequent knowledge of 
the inhabitants of these islands, there is no doubt 
but that they would have shewn themselves had 
they known of our visit. Mr. Cunningham also 
ascended a remarkably rugged looking hill at the 
south point of the bay, on the east side of the 
island, which, from its appearance, received se- 
veral appropriate names from our people, such as 
“ Mount Dreary,” and “ Mount Horrid.” Mr. 
Cunningham calls it Rugged Mount, and says, 
“ it is thinly covered with a small variety of 
plants, similar to those of Cape Cleveland. This 
mount is a pile of ragged rocks, towered up to 
a considerable elevation above the sea, which 
washes its base : the stones of the summit being 
of angular, or conical forms, (apparently ba- 
saltic,) whilst the general mass on the slopes or 
declivities are deeply excavated, furnishing spa- 
