COASTS OF AUSTRALIA. 
423 
bottom, but, not having a light, were soon obliged 
to give up its further examination. 
The island is connected to the cape by a 
narrow ridge of rocks, which the spring-tides 
may probably cover. The main corresponds 
with the island in character and general confor- 
mation, being extremely barren and rocky, and 
of the same description of sand- stone, the strata 
of which appear nearly horizontal ; the greatest 
deviation from that position not being more than 
an inclination of 5° to the south-east. 
Upon our return, we landed at Caper Point 
near the bottom of the bay ; where, on taking 
some bearings, a considerable local magnetic 
attraction was detected, for the needle of the 
theodolite was nearly eight degrees in error. 
Whilst I was thus employed, Mr. Cunningham, 
who was my companion upon this excursion, 
ranged about among the shrubs in the vici- 
nity, and was fortunate in finding the fruit of 
a tree that was first seen by us at Cambridge 
Gulf, and had for some time puzzled us from 
its immense size and peculiar appearance. It 
proved to be a tree of the nat. ord. Capparides, 
and was thought to be a capparis; the gouty habit 
of the stem, which was soft and spongy, gave 
it an appearance of disease: but, as all the spe- 
cimens, from the youngest plant to the full-grown 
1820. 
0ct7s. 
