Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.1): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

Feb 18S0. GEOLOGY botany. 305 green-stone, and trap, which appears, at first sight, to be vol- canic ; but, on a more particular examination, the lava-like appearance of the rock does not seem to arise from an igneous origin. The green-stone is full of crystals of olivine, which, as they decompose, leave hollows, resembling those of scoriae. Mr. Cald- cleugh communicated an account of the structure to the Geo- logical Society.* In Captain HalFs interesting journal, there is a list of Geological and Mineralogical specimens, of which one from Mas-a-fuera-f- is named ' Vesicular Lava.' May it not be this same rock in a decomposed state .'' The late Signor Bertero, whose botanical collections from Chile have enriched many of the principal herbaria in Europe, accompanied me to make a collection of the Flora of the island ; and he considered that the character of the vegetation was very little allied to the Chilian, but partook more of that of California. The sandal-wood, which has been described as indigenous to this island, was not found by us, growing, but a large quantity was collected about the hills and vallies, in a dry state, and apparently very old. It is of the red kind, and still preserves a strong scent. The mayor-domo told me there were no sandal- wood trees in the island ; but we had reason to think his information was incorrect, for one of the inha- bitants would have taken us to a place where he said they were growing in large quantities, had not our arrangements for sail- ing interfered. The island produces several kinds of grass ; but the most abundant herbaceous plant is a species of oat, which grows very luxuriantly, and towards the westward covers the ground for many miles. The neighbourhood of Cumberland Bay is over-run with strawberry plants, wild radishes, mint, and balm, besides peach, apple, cherry, and fig trees, which are * Phil. Journal, and Annals of Philosophy, for March 1831 (new series x.), 220. t Juan Fernandez is called ' de Tierra,' because it is nearer the main- land than another adjacent island, which is called ' Mas-a-fuera ' (farther off, or more in the distance). VOL. I, X