78 
REVIEWS. 
prominent point met with, is of limestone formation some eighty feet high, and was the 
first of a rocky character seen since rounding the southern extreme of the island. About 
five or six miles further to the eastward, a similar but somewhat more lofty point exists 
(Cape Wrottesley), the coast line intervening, forming nearly a straight line of barren, 
undulating hills. It is of similar formation (limestone), about 100 feet high, presenting 
an irregular and ill-defined line of stratification on its western side, dipping at an angle 
of about 15° to the north-west; but on its eastern side, as it loses its geological character, 
and becomes identified with the ordinary coast line, the stratification, instead of following 
the south-east inclination of the land, is thrown into a series of semicircular lines, which 
again become angular or zigzag before their continuity is established with the line of 
stratification at the highest point, about its centre. It is the most northern point of 
Baring Island, is situated in lat. 74° 30'; long. 121° 30' 50" W., from whence the coast 
line assumes an E.S.E. trending, until it again juts out in the fine bold headland of Cape 
Austin, which forms a grand and imposing feature in the outline of this dreary and un¬ 
protected coast. It is about 400 feet high, while a profile view gives it an inclination of 
some ten or twelve degrees, falling back in ledges with the debris forming a buttress at 
its base, extending upwards nearly a third of its height; yet, when viewed from the 
front, it appears quite vertical, and the desolate grandeur of its appearance was wonder¬ 
fully striking from the perilous position whence we viewed it. Projecting through the 
debris, I could observe the more prominent angular portions of its lower formation, dip¬ 
ping in a slight degree from its centre on either side in a south-west and south-east 
direction, and they appeared to be composed of shale and a sort of slaty sandstone. 
Above, and surmounting the debris, it is of an ill-defined columnar structure, apparently 
limestone, fissured and broken up extensively, with no well-marked line of stratification; 
only what a slight change of colour here and there presents, which was uniformly 
brownish grey, with a ferruginous admixture interspersed throughout. Its general aspect 
much resembled that of Nelson’s Head, but on a much smaller scale, and formed like it; 
a grand turning-point on this part of the coast. The outline assumes a convexity like the 
walls of a lofty fortress, the rocky structure being preserved for about 600 yards, until 
gradually lost in land of the usual hilly, irregular character. This takes a slightly cres¬ 
centic form from its trending to E.S.E., and again shoots out in a north-east direction, 
completing the crescent of a shallow, shelterless bay, and ending in another bold head¬ 
land, similar to, but somewhat less elevated than, Cape Austin. This fine Cape appeared 
identical, both in appearance and structure, with its confrere on the opposite side of this 
little shallow indentation, from which it is about three miles distant, and is possessed of 
the same convexity of outline, with much of its grand, imposing aspect, although in a 
less degree. It is elevated about 340 feet—its front, I may say, quite vertical, falling 
away on either side, identifying itself with the land like the other; and in structure it is 
of an ill-defined, broken columnar character*, extensively fissured in a horizontal direction, 
resembling a state of progressive decay and dilapidation. Much debris was also collected 
at its base ; its lower formation was slate and shale, laminated and fissured, and was sur¬ 
mounted by limestone of a columnar form, w r ith well-marked lines of sulphureous and 
ferruginous deposit extending transversely along its front. The decomposition of this 
compound, probably taking place on its exposure, fully displayed the well-marked colour 
of both; which, when contrasted with the dark grey of the formation, imparted a stra¬ 
tified and divisional appearance to the whole. 
“ As circumstances did not allow of my visiting this Cape for more than a few 
minutes, my examination was necessarily confined to the debris, which entirely consisted 
of carboniferous limestone, in pieces or blocks varying in size from several hundred 
pounds weight to minute fragments. I found numerous specimens of fossil uni- and bi¬ 
valve shells, embedded firmly in the limestone (embracing chiefly species of Producta , 
Spirifer, Pecten , Cardium ,, Terebratula , Buccinum , and a few others, the generic charac¬ 
ters of which were not then determined), together with pieces of wood of various sizes, 
from portions of small twigs and branches to pieces two inches in diameter, embedded in 
the same manner as the shells. Some pieces were encrusted with a deposit of iron; 
others had a sulphureous covering, and emitted a disagreeable odour; but almost all 
looked black and charred, in an advanced stage of carbonization, as if partially burned; 
and displayed in numerous places the true lustre of coal. The limestone fissured readily 
