Page:Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal Vol 29.djvu/13



Barren Island is a volcanic island, situated in Lat. 12° 17′ N. and in Long. 90° 54′ E. Its smallest distance from the Andaman Archipelago is in a straight line only 36 miles East. The distance from the nearest point of the main land, near Tavoy, is about 270 miles W. S. W. It lies not far out of the straight course between Port Blair and Amherst, about 63 miles from the former, and 330 from the latter place. The Semiramis approached the island on the morning of the 19th March, 1858, coming from the N. E., and steamed round it by S. keeping close to the shore, until the ship was opposite the entrance of the crater (Fig. 2.) bearing about W. and by N. from the centre of the island, where she hove to, and we landed.

It is stated in former accounts, that all round the island the lead finds no bottom at 150 fathoms, only ¼ mile distance from the shore. Captain Campbell found however ground at that distance on one side of the island, its centre bearing N. E. at a depth varying from 4½ to 14 fathoms.

Nearing the island from the North and passing round to the South East of it, it looks from a distance like an oval-topped hill; but coming closer, the sides of the mountain are discovered to belong to a steep circular elevation, sending out spurs towards the sea and enclosing a central valley. The sides of the enclosing circle being