Page:A Voyage to Terra Australis Volume 1.djvu/154

cxxxii

chalk. On breaking these chalky trunks, which was easily done, rings of the brown wood sometimes appeared in them, as if imperfectly converted; but in the greater number, nothing more than circular traces remained. The situation in which these trees were principally found, is a sandy valley near the middle of the island, which was likewise remarkable for the quantity of bones of birds and small quadrupeds, with which it was strewed. The petrefactions were afterwards more particularly examined by Mr. Bass, who adopted the opinion that they had been caused by water.

Upon Cape-Barren Island the hills rise to a considerable height, that of the peak, which does not much exceed some others, being near twelve hundred feet; but on the smaller islands there is no elevation of importance. The upper parts of all are generally crowned with huge lumps of granite; and upon many of these, particularly on Rum Island, is a smaller, unconnected, round lump, which rests in a hollow at the top, as a cup in its saucer; and I observed with a glass, that there was a stone of this kind at the summit of the peak of Cape Barren. The lower parts of the islands are commonly sandy; and, in several places under the hills, swamps and pools are formed. The water in these is generally tinged red; and in one, situate between Passage and Cone Points, it had so much the appearance of blood, that I went to taste it; but, except being a little brackish, found nothing remarkable. Whether the water become thus tinged, in its course down the hills, by earthy or metallic substances, or acquire its colour from the roots and leaves of vegetables, I am unable to decide; but think the former most probable.

All the islands are over-run with brush wood; amongst which, in the more sheltered and less barren parts, are mixed a few stunted trees, which seem to shed their bark annually, and to be of the heavy kind called gum tree at Port Jackson. The brush wood overspreads even the rocks where it can get the least hold; it is commonly impenetrable, and on the south and west sides of the