_CONCLUSION._
On completing our surveying work at the Amirante Group we steamed back
to Port Mahé, Seychelles, in order to replenish our stock of coals.
After a stay of a few days we again got under way (17th of April),
and shaped a course for Alphonse Island, which occupies an isolated
position sixty miles south-west-by-south of the southern extremity of
the Amirante bank.
We reached Alphonse Island on the 19th of April, about midday, and
saw that in shape, and general appearance, it much resembled one of
the Amirantes--for instance, Poivre; but, however, in one important
characteristic was different. It possessed a sort of barrier reef
little less than a wash, and sufficiently indicated by a long line of
heavy breakers. We steamed round the island, holding a course parallel
to the line of breakers, and within a few ships' lengths of it, but we
got no soundings with fifty fathoms of line. On attaining a position
opposite to the southern extremity of the island, we saw a canoe
approaching, the occupants of which, an elderly white man and some
negroes, soon afterwards boarded us. The information which they gave
us confirmed our impression as to there being no anchorage suitable
for a large ship anywhere near the island. We learned that it was the
property of a Frenchman named Baudon, who resides in Europe, and that
the population consisted of twenty-eight, six being whites--viz., John
Hickey, the manager, with his wife and children--and the remainder,
mulattoes and negroes. The island seemed to us to be covered with
cocoa-nut trees, but we were told that only a small number were old
enough to bear nuts. The produce consisted of copra, green turtle,
hawk's-bill turtle, and pearl-shell. Of the latter, two thousand shells
had been exported within the previous two years; and we also learned
from Hickey that he then had nine hundred in store awaiting shipment.
The shells, which are much smaller than those of Torres Straits, and
have a black internal margin like those of Ceylon, are obtained by
negro swimming-divers. They are found in the still-water pools, inside
the barrier reef, where they lie in four or five fathoms of water; and
on account of the danger from sharks they are only sought for in these
enclosed pools. Although a good many pearls of small size are met with,
the commercial value of the fishery depends on the mother-of-pearl of
the shells.
Fish are caught in great abundance, and as poultry thrive well, a large
stock of them are kept and allowed to run wild. Fresh water being also
plentiful, the inhabitants are not on the whole badly off for the
necessaries of life.
After a long interview with old Hickey, who most generously presented
us with some turkeys and ducks, we bade him a long good-bye, and
steamed away towards Providence Island.
We anchored off the west side of this island on the forenoon of the
21st of April, and lay about a mile from the land, and a quarter of a
mile outside a long fringing reef, over the raised outer edge of which
the sea broke heavily, forming an almost continuous line of rollers.
Providence Island lies two hundred and forty miles from the Amirante
Islands, in a south-west-by-south direction, and is two hundred miles
north-east-by-north from the northern extremity of Madagascar. It is
entirely of coral formation, is low and flat, and measures two miles
in length by one-third of a mile in width. It is surrounded with
broad submerged fringing reefs, which at the southern extremity of
the island are continuous with a long reef, extending in a southerly
direction for a distance of sixteen miles, and partially dry at low
tide. At its southern termination are three small islets, or rather
sand-cays, which are termed collectively Cerf Islands.
Providence Island belongs to two Seychelle gentlemen; viz., Mr. Dupuys
and Dr. Brookes, for whom it is managed by an elderly Frenchman
named Hoyaeux. The population consists of Hoyaeux, with his wife and
nephew, and a gang of negroes, male and female, amounting in all to
thirty-four. The houses of the settlement are situated on either side
of a broad avenue which traverses the middle of the island from east
to west. The only landing-place is at the western end of this avenue,
opposite to which we were anchored; and even here it was always
somewhat dangerous, and in bad weather quite impracticable to effect a
landing, on account of the rollers which broke over the outer edge of
the fringing reef. The latter forms the nearest approach to a "barrier
reef" which I have yet seen in these waters; excepting that at Alphonse
Island, which we had not time to examine carefully. The depth of water
over its general surface is not more than a fathom at low tide; while
at its outer edge, which is marked by the line of breakers, the depth
is only a foot or so less.
The produce of the island consists of cocoa-nut oil and green turtle.
The greater part of the island is covered with cocoa-nut plantations,
young and old, for which the soil seems admirably suited. I noticed
that here the cocoa-nuts had been planted in the surface soil, and not
in pits as at Poivre and Des Roches; and on my making a remark to that
effect, Monsieur Hoyaeux, the manager, explained to me the reason. It
has been found by experience that cocoa-nuts will not thrive on any of
these islands unless they are so planted that the roots may be enabled
to reach the bed of coral into which the sea-water penetrates. Hence it
follows that when nuts are planted on any but very low coral islands
it has been found advisable to put them at the bottom of basin-shaped
excavations, some three or four feet in depth, so that the roots may
have a chance of reaching the moist coral beneath. Providence Island
being sufficiently low by nature, it was not necessary to make these
excavations.
Green turtle are captured in great numbers during the month of April,
when the females come up on the beaches to deposit their eggs. A
turtle pond near the settlement contained, at the time of our visit,
no less than eighty, all of large size. In connection with this pond
a portion of the sandy inner beach was wattled in, so as to serve as
a hatching-ground for the captured turtle. As soon as the young ones
have become sufficiently strong to take care of themselves, they are
turned adrift into the open sea. In this way the young turtle escape
the danger, which they are otherwise exposed to when of a tender age,
of being destroyed by predatory sea-birds; and thus the maintenance of
the stock is favoured. It is a curious thing that young turtle seem to
have a difficulty about, or a strong disinclination to, diving beneath
the surface of the water. One almost always sees them floating in the
ponds, instead of groping about the bottom as the adults do.
The indigenous fauna and flora were almost identical with those of the
Amirantes, except that there were no land-birds as at Isle des Roches.
Monsieur Hoyaeux very kindly supplied me with the creole names of the
trees, shrubs, and one or two herbaceous plants. Among these were the
"Bois Blanc" (_Hernandia peltata_), "Sauve Souris" (a low tree with
long dark green leaves), "Bois Cu Cu" (a tree with drupaceous fruit,
having a curved hook at the apex), "Veloutier Tabac" (_Tournefortia
argentea_, a seaside bush of the family _Apocynaceæ_, the leaves of
which are sometimes smoked instead of tobacco), and the "Veloutier
Blanc" (_Scævola kœnigii_, a very common seaside bush of the family
_Goodeniaceæ_). Some of the bushes and _Casuarina_ trees (called
"Cedre" by the creoles) were overrun with a parasitic creeping plant,
_Cassytha filiformis_, which they use for making a sort of tea, and to
which they give the name "Liane sans feuilles."
The huge land-tortoises of Aldabra have been imported, and seem to find
a congenial home in the island. There was a herd of seven roaming about
among the bushes, one of which was said to be able to carry two men on
its back.
Among the introduced plants and vegetables we saw the papaw,
custard-apple, pepper, sweet potato, onions, lettuce, capsicum, etc.
Pearl-shell is collected on the reefs, but not as yet in sufficient
quantities to establish a lucrative industry. In this respect the
island is not so fortunate as Alphonse, for there are no sheltered
rock-pools in which the shell can be collected by swimming-divers
without danger from the sharks; the sea everywhere flowing in over
the outer edge of the broad fringing reef, and the great reef to the
southward only drying in patches at low tide.
Small water-worn fragments of precious coral (_C. rubrum_) are from
time to time picked up on the reef, but we could not glean any
information as to its precise _habitat_. We met with none in our
dredgings, which ranged up to a depth of twenty-two fathoms. It
probably inhabits the deeper water on the outer slope of the bank.
Madame Hoyaeux, who was most kind and hospitable, presented me with
some fragments which had been picked up on the reef, and which
resembled the _Corallium rubrum_ of the Mediterranean.
There are many wells on the island, but in all the water has a saline
taste. It is serviceable enough for washing and cooking purposes;
but for drinking, the inhabitants rely upon the rainwater which they
collect.
On the forenoon of the 28th of April we anchored about a mile and a
half to the westward of three small islets, which rest on the southern
extremity of the Providence Reef. I then accompanied the captain
on a boat-trip to the islets, visiting the two which lay nearest.
The most northerly of these we found to be a low and almost barren
sand-cay, crescentic in outline, about two hundred yards in greatest
length, and thirty yards in width. Near the eastern extremity were
two rude fishing-huts which seemed to have been recently inhabited.
They contained a turtle-spear and some other fishing appliances, a
hatchet, a bag of salt, a tinderbox, and some other small bags which
were closed up, and which a delicate regard for the sacred rights of
private property deterred us from examining. A few pearl-shells of the
species peculiar to these islands lay in a heap near one of the huts.
I appropriated, without any scruple, some specimens of these, leaving,
however, in exchange, a big lump of tobacco, which I deposited in one
of the bags hanging from the rafters of the hut.
Close to the concave margin of the islet was a small turtle-pond,
composed of stakes driven vertically into the soft sand, and lashed
together so as to form a circular enclosure through which the shallow
water flowed freely at all times of the tide. It contained six large
turtle.
The only plants growing on the islet were a very young cocoa-nut,
scarcely six inches high, and a weed, without flowers, somewhat
resembling a _Mesembryanthemum_, and evidently growing wild. The latter
may, I think, be considered to be the only indigenous plant on the
islet. In strolling over the piled-up sand and broken coral, of which
the surface of the islet was composed, I came across three fruits of
the widely-distributed _Barringtonia speciosa_, which had evidently
drifted on to the beach, and had then been blown up above tide mark.
We subsequently visited a second islet which lay about a mile to
the westward of the above, with which it was connected by a shallow
reef, probably laid bare at low tide. This second islet proved to
be utterly devoid of vegetation, and showed no signs of having ever
been inhabited. Strewn over its surface were great quantities of dead
shells, among which I saw examples of the genera _Harpa_, _Dolium_,
_Bulla_, _Cypræa_, _Littorina_, _Voluta_, _Conus_, etc. From here we
obtained a good view of the third islet, and could see on it two
large huts and several clumps of bushes, but nothing in the shape of
a human being. (One of our boats visited this islet on the following
day and reported that the huts were uninhabited, although showing
signs of having recently been in use.) There were three plants; viz.,
the Veloutier Tabac (_Tournefortia argentea_), the Bois d'Aimanthe
(_Suriana maritima_), a bush with lanceolate woody leaves, and a small
herbaceous plant. After a good deal of groping and wading about the
shores of the islet, we returned at about 5 p.m. to the place where we
had left our boat, but found, to our dismay, that the tide had fallen
so low since we had landed, that the boat was now hard and fast on the
bare reef, and after repeated efforts to drag it over to the reef-edge,
a distance of nearly half a mile, we were obliged to make up our minds
to wait for the rising tide. As we were unfortunately without any
provisions, our position was not the most agreeable, especially as the
boat was not floated off till near midnight.
On the morning of the 1st of May we weighed anchor and steamed over to
the island of St. Pierre, which lies about ten miles to the south-west
of our last position. We spent some hours sounding off the island in
deep water, and as it was reported that there was no safe anchorage,
the captain did not attempt to land. Seen from a distance of about
half a mile--the nearest we approached to it--St. Pierre appeared to
be of a very different character from the islands recently visited.
It was somewhat circular in outline, and was covered by a dense
growth of scrubby bushes, above which appeared the crowns of three
or four isolated palm trees. The mean level of its surface was about
thirty feet above the water, so that it was three or four times as
high as Providence, or the Amirante Islands. It presented all round
a precipitous rock-bound coast worn into jagged pinnacles above, and
undermined below by the wear and tear of the heavy ocean swell, which
thundered against it and testified to its eroding power by the jets
of spray which we saw shot upwards from blowholes through the upper
surface of the rock.
On the 3rd of May we anchored off Du Lise Island, the most northern of
the three islets which compose the Glorioso Group. These islets lie
about two hundred and seventy miles to the south-west of Providence
Island, and one hundred and twenty miles in a west-by-north direction
from the northern extremity of Madagascar.
Du Lise Island is of a very irregular shape, both as to its surface
and outline, and measures about a quarter of a mile across in various
directions. It seems to be formed entirely of coral sandstone,
conglomerate, and breccia, and presents to the sea on its north-west
side low jagged cliffs of consolidated coral breccia, and on the
opposite side a sloping beach composed of hard coral sandstone arranged
in gently inclined slabs; while its surface is in one place raised
into a large mound about thirty feet in height, covered with trees
and rank grass, and probably composed of blown coral sand. Among the
tufts of grass on the sloping sides of this mound were great numbers
of _Spirula_-shells in a tolerably perfect condition. Many of them lay
in sheltered places where they could hardly have been deposited by the
agency of the wind alone, and yet if they had been dropped by birds
after the latter had devoured the soft body of the mollusc, one would
expect to have found the fragile shells in a more or less mutilated
state, which was not the case. The circumstance is, therefore, a rather
puzzling one to account for satisfactorily.
The flora was more abundant in species than at any of the coral
islands to the northward. There were, moreover, no signs of the
island having been inhabited; and consequently we saw no palms, for
the cocoa-nut does not seem to be _indigenous_ at any of the islands
recently visited. The prevailing tree was a good-sized banyan, of
which many examples appeared to be very old. There were also several
Hibiscus trees. As to bushes, there were a few isolated examples of
the "Veloutier blanc," while the low central part of the island, into
which the sea-water penetrated so as to form a filthy salt-marsh,
was covered with a dense impenetrable thicket of "Bois d'Aimanthe."
Herbaceous plants were numerous, and comprised species of the families
_Solanaceæ_, _Malvaceæ_, _Euphorbiaceæ_, and _Graminaceæ_.
The fauna, which was not extensive, included a brown rat, which was
to be seen climbing along the upper branches of the trees, apparently
in search of small birds or their eggs; a lizard; a large brown dove,
pronounced by Mr. Bowdler Sharpe to be a new species of Turtur; a
_Zosterops_, and a sun-bird, a large crab of the genus _Birgus_;
terrestrial hermit-crabs, and many spiders.
We did not find any fresh water. The soil on the upper parts of the
island was a dark loam; and although sea-birds in the shape of gannets
and frigate-birds were abundant and bred on the island, I saw very
little guano.
I spent the forenoon of the following day in examining the broad
fringing reef, a great extent of which was laid bare by the low-water
spring-tide. It was composed of coral sandstone and coral breccia,
and presented a rather sterile appearance, being entirely devoid of
living corals, and containing very few zoophytes in its rock pools. I
was, however, interested at finding on the surface of this reef a few
isolated rounded stones which were quite foreign to the surrounding
formation, and whose source remains a mystery difficult of solution.
One was an oblong block of hard black basalt, about a foot long, by
four inches in width, while the other was a lump of clear quartz the
size of an orange, and much worn by attrition. Darwin, in his "Journal
of a Naturalist," mentions a similar occurrence at the Keeling Islands;
and in endeavouring to account for it, inclines to the belief that such
stones have been transported by floating trees, in whose roots they
were originally entangled, and from whence they have become detached
after the stranding of the dead tree.
From the rock-pools we picked up some large Cone-shells, as well as a
few Murices, Littorinas, and Turbos. We also saw some Ophiurids, and
one Holothurian.
We got under way again on the 5th of May, and, after spending several
hours in taking soundings, came to an anchor in eleven fathoms, about
two miles to the northward of Glorioso Island. This is the largest
island of the three which constitute the Glorioso Group (Vert Island
is very small indeed), and is somewhat squarish in shape, measuring a
mile and a half each way. It consists of a central depressed plateau,
in which the wells yield only brackish water, enclosed by two lines of
circumvallation, which are composed of sand hills forming continuous
ridges, and ranging from thirty to forty feet in height above the
level of the sea. The outer of these two ridges is about forty yards
from high-water mark on the beach, and is separated from the inner
ridge by a broad and deep furrow, which sustains a luxuriant growth of
"Veloutier" and "Bois d'Aimanthe" bushes. Near the centre of the island
we saw the muddy bed of a marsh, now dry, which one of the negroes
informed me was at certain times of the year full of salt water.
Glorioso Island is the property of a Frenchman named Carltot, who, at
the time of our visit, was away somewhere in Madagascar. The population
consisted of the manager--an old Frenchman--one other white man, and
fifteen negro labourers; who, with their wives and families, amounted
in all to twenty-seven. They were endeavouring to cultivate cocoa-nuts,
but so far as we could judge, without much success; for the number of
these trees bearing fruit scarcely amounted to twenty. The poor people
were in great distress for want of clothes and provisions, not having
seen any vessel for ten months before our arrival. They had latterly
been subsisting wholly on turtle and fish, without vegetables, meal,
or bread of any kind. The island was so infested with rats that it was
found almost impossible to raise any vegetables. In fact, commercially,
it has proved a failure, so that the wretched inhabitants were only
awaiting the first opportunity for quitting it and returning to Mahé.
The flora resembled that of Du Lise. The banyan tree, called "Fouce" by
the Creoles, was conspicuous, and in many instances seemed to be of
great antiquity. I noticed the same land-birds as at Du Lise, but there
was an addition in the occurrence of the Madagascar crow. Frigate-birds
were numerous all over the island, and, strange to say, were frequently
to be seen perching on the branches of tall forest trees. In using the
word "forest" for the first time whilst speaking of these islands, I
should add that a great portion of Glorioso was covered with a dense
growth of virgin forest, upon which the clearing operations of the
colonists had made comparatively feeble inroads. I need scarcely add
that our proximity to the great island of Madagascar was rendered
apparent by the above-mentioned novelties as to fauna and flora which
we encountered on our voyage southward.
The greater portion of the circumference of the island is fringed by
a broad reef of dead coral and coral sandstone, on which rests in
many places a thin coating of mud or sand. This platform of reef,
and also the sandy beach proper, together exhibited examples of a
good many shells, most of which, however, were dead specimens. We saw
representatives of the genera _Conus_, _Turbinella_, _Fusus_, _Cypræa_,
_Trivia_, _Nassa_, _Natica_, _Neritina_, _Haliotis_, _Dolium_, and
_Oliva_. Besides these shells there was little else to be seen, except
fragments of organ-pipe coral (_Tubipora musica_), and the bleached
tests of an _Echinus_, a species of _Hemiaster_ (?).
On the morning of the 8th of May we were again under way and sailing
for Mozambique Island, which is about five hundred miles from
Glorioso. On the evening of the 10th we passed within a few miles of
Mayotta, one of the Comoro Islands, and had a fine view of its high
volcanic hills,--a sight peculiarly grateful to eyes now for some time
accustomed to seeing land only in the shape of low coral islands. As we
passed to the eastward, the shadow cast by the western declining sun on
the face of the island brought out the outline of its hills in the form
of a bold silhouette.
May 12th, about midday, looking to the westward we saw a great
flat-topped hill appearing above the horizon. This was our first view
of the east coast of Africa, and proved to be Table Mountain, a hill
two thousand feet high, and situated some twelve or fifteen miles
inland. Being of such a height it was visible to us from a distance
of fifty miles, when nothing was to be seen of the coast itself or of
the intervening lowlands. Shortly before dusk we steamed up to the
north side of Mozambique Island, and anchored for the night in an open
roadstead, whence, on the following morning, we moved into the inner
anchorage.
Mozambique Island has been in the possession of the Portuguese since
the middle of the fifteenth century. About the year 1505 they commenced
to build a large fort on the northern extremity of the island. It
was designed on a scale of great magnitude, and although constructed
entirely of stone, and entailing an immense amount of labour, was
completed within a period of about seven years. Having then by means of
this stronghold established themselves securely and made this island a
base of operations for further conquests, they began to annex nominally
a great extent of territory along the neighbouring coast of Eastern
Africa. For the next two hundred years, or thereabouts, most of the
trade of the coast passed through Mozambique, and the position was
therefore of great importance, both in a commercial and political point
of view. The produce consisted of ivory, cocoa-nut oil, india-rubber,
gold, amber, and calumba root. Of late years Zanzibar has monopolized
most of the East African trade, and, consequently, Mozambique has
been losing its importance, and has now almost ceased to be a centre
of commercial industry. Indeed, the only African export of any moment
which now passes through Mozambique is india-rubber, which is said to
be of good quality, and of which large supplies are forthcoming.
The coast tribes have never properly fraternized with the Portuguese,
and although a large force of troops is maintained at the fort, the few
colonists who now reside on the mainland are practically at the mercy
of the natives. At present, a large tribe, the Macolos, hostile to the
Portuguese, and numbering about fifteen thousand, were encamped in the
neighbourhood of Pau Mountain, a hill which we could see from the ship,
and which is only twenty miles distant. The Macolo dialect is the same
as that used by the black natives of the island.
Mozambique Island is a mile and a half long by a quarter of a mile in
width, and is separated from the mainland by a shallow channel one mile
broad, through which the ebb and flood tides run with great velocity.
Considering the small area of the place the population is dense,
amounting altogether to seven thousand. It is composed of African
blacks, Banyans from Kutch and Gudjerat in Hindostan, Portuguese,
Arabs, and English. There are only five of the latter nationality;
viz., the British Consul, Mr. O'Niel (late Lieut. R.N.); Mr. Cassidy,
superintendent of the telegraph cables; Mr. Parlett, agent for the
British India Steamers; and two telegraph operators. The number of
Portuguese forming the garrison of the island amounts to two hundred
and fifty; and, besides these, there is a detachment of sixty soldiers
stationed on the adjoining shore of the mainland.
There is a local trade in an intoxicating liquor called "Caju," which
is made from the fermented juice of the soft part of the cashew fruit,
by distillation. It is said that a tablespoonful of this liquor is
sufficient to intoxicate an ordinary man, and to give him a fearful
headache as well.
I spent several hours, while the tide served, in exploring the
neighbouring reefs for shells and other marine specimens. Among the
former were three species of cowries, _C. tigris_, _C. mauritiana_, and
_C. moneta_; a large _Fusus_, a _Haliotis_, a _Volute_; an _Ostræa_,
a _Conus_, a _Tridacna_, and a _Pinna_; while on the beach we found
_Naticas_, _Neritinas_, and _Pinnas_. Several _Echinoderms_ were also
seen, comprising four _Ophiurids_, and three or four _Asterias_. Of the
latter, there was one huge species of a blood-red colour on the upper
surface, and gaudily variegated with round blotches of yellow. Among
_Crustaceans_, the most common form was a _Calappa_. _Grapsus_ was also
represented, and a few _Maioid_ species were also captured. On opening
a couple of clam-shells some curious commensal crabs were found inside,
two in each shell; they seemed to be very reluctant to leave their old
quarters.
Fringing the adjoining shore of the mainland was a large extent of reef
covered with fine sand, and bearing a luxuriant crop of short green
sea-wracks (_Zostera_). Under shelter of this weed we found a great
number and variety of Holothurians. A long _Synapta_ unpleasant to
handle on account of the pricking sensation which its spicules imparted
to the skin, was here obtained, and a small conger eel dwelt in burrows
projecting downwards from the bottom of small pits in the sand, where
it might be seen protruding its head on the look-out for its prey.
The most frequent shell on this part of the reef was a species of
_Pinna_ about eight inches long, which, in numbers of three or four
together, was generally to be seen anchored vertically in the sand by
means of its long byssus. The lips of the shell were so very fragile,
and the byssal attachment was so firm, that it was no easy matter to
root up an uninjured specimen. About the roots of the green sea-wrack
nestled in great numbers a tiny cowrie, the collection of which gives
occupation to great numbers of women and children, who may be seen
scattered over the reefs every day at low tide. Great quantities of
these shells are exported to the west coast of Africa for the benefit
of the negro tribes there, who still make use of them as the current
coin of the country.
* * * * *
With our arrival at Mozambique terminated the surveying operations of
the _Alert_, so that it only remained for us now, on receiving our
mails, to make the best of our way to England. We accordingly sailed on
the 22nd of May, and proceeded on our voyage towards the Cape of Good
Hope, which we expected to reach in about a fortnight's time. However,
the weather proved to be most unfavourable, for on passing to the
southward of Madagascar, where we had calculated on meeting with the
south-easterly trade wind, we encountered instead a westerly breeze,
accompanied by a rather heavy sea, so that our progress for the time
was far from satisfactory. On reaching the latitude of Algoa Bay, on
the east coast of Africa, it was decided on running in there for coal,
which we accordingly did, anchoring off the town of Port Elizabeth on
the 9th of June, and remaining there until the morning of the 11th,
when we resumed our voyage to the Cape.
We arrived at Simon's Bay, Cape of Good Hope, on the 14th of June, and
made a stay of fourteen days, which was necessary in order to enable us
to refit and revictual the ship, and otherwise prepare for the homeward
voyage through the Atlantic.
On one of the few days which I here spent on shore, I made the
acquaintance of a Mr. Black, a fine hale old man, a shipwright by
trade, who supplemented his regular work by collecting and preparing
for sale various curiosities of natural history, especially the skins
and horns of many South African animals of the antelope family. His
latest trophy was a very large specimen of the egg of the _Epiornis_
of Madagascar, a gigantic bird which would seem to have become extinct
almost within the historic period. He had purchased this egg, as a
commercial speculation, from the supercargo of a trading schooner, and
hoped to realize a considerable profit by disposing of it to one of
the European museums. It was indeed of enormous proportions--although
not actually the largest on record--for it measured eleven and
three-quarter inches in length and eight and a half inches in breadth,
while it had a capacity of about eight quarts. The shell was one-eighth
of an inch in thickness, as I ascertained by measuring it at the
smaller end, where there was an aperture large enough to admit the
thumb. He could not give me any information as to the conditions under
which it was found, and although he had paid a large sum for it seemed
to be unaware of the fact that somewhat similar specimens existed.
It appeared to be in a sub-fossil condition, and was dotted over
externally with fine pits, so that its surface somewhat resembled that
of an old half-decayed human skull. About one-third of its surface was
stained uniformly of an earthy colour, suggesting the idea that it must
have remained for a long time partially imbedded in the ground.
On the direct homeward voyage we stopped for a few days at St. Helena,
and also at Fayal in the Azores, finally reaching Plymouth Sound on the
3rd of September, 1882, after an absence from England of nearly four
years.
GENERAL INDEX.
Aborigines, Australian, 185, 188, 204, 205.
Abrolhos Bank, 18.
Aconcagua, 82.
Adelaide, 201.
Admiralty, 1.
"Adventure," H.M.S., 1.
Adzes, stone, 163.
Africa, 2;
coast of, in sight, 241.
African Islands, 218, 226.
Albany Island, 193.
Albatrosses, 22;
flight of, 89, 141.
Aldabra Island, 215.
"Alert," H.M.S., 2.
Algoa Bay, 244.
Alikhoolips, 55.
Allen, Captain, 183.
Almirante Cochrane, 41.
Alphonse Island, 230, 232.
Altamirano Bay, 134.
Amadtha, 164.
America, South, 1.
Amirante Islands, 2, 218, 225.
Andalien River, 97.
Angol, 99, 100.
Angona, 163.
Annita, attacked by Fuegians, 55.
Anson, Commodore, 54.
Ant-Thrush, habits of, 142.
Anuario Hydrografico, 130.
Apparatus Boats, 197.
Arabs, 242.
Araucania, 95.
Araucanians, 29.
Arctic Expedition, 2.
Arnaud, Mons., 131, 135.
Atoll, 227, 229.
Australia, 1, 180.
Axes, Fuegian, 52.
Azores, 245.
Bahia de la Gente, old colony at, 35.
Bailie's Sounding Apparatus, 18.
Baker, Mr., of Tonga, 170.
Bakola, 162.
Ball at Tahiti, 151.
Balsam Bog, 31.
Bandurria, 36.
Banka Island, 210.
Banks' Group, 179.
Banyans, 242.
Butcher Bird, 85.
Baron Collinson, 13.
Barrier Reef, Great, 184.
Barrier reefs, 226, 228, 232.
Basil Hall, Captain, 83.
Batteries, crushing, 203.
Bau, 160, 162.
Baudon, Mons., 230.
Bea, town of, 170, 173.
Beagle Channel, 56.
"Beagle," H.M.S., 1, 130.
Beche-de-mer, 190.
Beech-trees, deciduous and evergreen, 36, 80.
Bell, Mr. F. J., 71.
Bella-Vista, 24.
Bethell, Lieut. G. R., 3.
Berberry plants, 35, 38, 41, 104.
Beresford, Sub-Lieut. C., 4, 69.
Bertaut, Mons., 222.
Bio Bio River, 95, 98, 99.
Bird Island, Australia, 192.
Bird Island, Seychelles, 211-219.
Birds of Amirantes, 223, 224.
" Peckett Harbour, 38.
" Port Darwin, 207.
" Seychelles, 212, 213.
" St. Ambrose, 86.
" Tahiti, 150.
" Torres Straits, 200, 201.
Black, Mr., 244.
Black police, 185.
Bligh, Lieutenant, 168.
Bois Blanc, 233.
" Cu Cu, 233.
" d'Aimanthe, 222, 236.
Bolsa, 31.
Bomberos, 81.
Bonitoes, 13.
Booby Island, 199.
Boomerangs, 186, 189, 206.
Borja Bay, 40.
_Boudeuse_, frigate, 145.
" Island, 225, 226.
Bougainville, Mons. de, 145.
_Bounty_, H.M.S., 168.
Bowen, town of, 188.
Boyd, Mr., 178.
Brazen Head, 10.
Brazo del Norte, 111.
Brazo Point, 59.
Brenchley, 173.
Bridges, Mr., 113.
Brillador, mines of, 93, 94.
British Museum, 54.
Brodie, Mr., 214, 215.
Brooks, Dr., 216, 232.
Buckets, bark, 53.
Buckley, the sealer, 113, 116.
Buenos Ayres, 13, 28, 29.
Bullock, collision with, 101.
Bure Kalou, 162, 166.
Buréta, village of, 166.
Burial of Fuegians, 56.
Burmeister, Dr., 29.
Burney's voyages, 54, 68.
Bushes, wind-swept, 109.
Butcher bird, 183.
Byron, Commodore, 51.
Byron Island, 103.
Cache Diablo, 68.
Cacobau, King of Fiji, 159, 160, 165.
Caju, 242.
Calamary, 139.
Calandria, 27.
Callaghan, Governor, 31.
Canal of Fitzroy, 128, 136.
Canary Islands, 12.
Canoe, Fijian, 163.
" Fuegian, 43, 51, 64.
Cape Bowling Green, 190.
" de Verde, 15.
" Gamboa, 66, 71.
" Gregory, 34.
" of Good Hope, 2, 244.
" Santa Maria, 21.
" Tres Montes, 103.
" Virgins, 34.
" Pigeon, 18, 105, 141.
Carouru, 38.
Carpincho, 27.
Casimiro, 30.
Cassidy, Mr., 242.
Catholic mission, 169.
Cave at Port Rosario, 69.
" Tongatabu, 176.
Cedar, 42.
Cedre, 233.
Cerf Islets, 232.
Cetaceans, 72.
Ceylon, 210.
Chacabuco, 41.
_Challenger_, voyage of, 77.
Channel Fuegians, 42, 48, 56, 103, 123.
Chasm Reach, 79.
Chickens, gone wild, 220.
Chili at war, 81.
Chillan, 99.
Chinamen, 203.
Chrysalis at sea, 21.
Clack Island, 191.
Clairmont Islands, 192.
Clark, Mr., 98-101.
Climate of West Patagonia, 45.
Coal apparatus at St. Vincent, 15.
Coal mines, Skyring, 131.
Cockatoos, white, 185.
Cockle Cove, 104.
Coco-de-mer, 214, 215.
Cocoa-nuts, method of planting, 232.
" at Seychelles, 215.
Colombo, 210.
Colon, trip to, 22.
Comoro Islands, 240.
Compañia smelting works, 93, 94.
Concepcion Channel, 59, 103, 112.
" town of, 95, 96, 141.
Conferva, oceanic, 13, 177.
Cook, Captain, 145, 168, 173.
" Mr. William, 4.
Cooktown, 190.
Copigue, 46.
Copper trade at Coquimbo, 83.
Coppinger, Dr. R. W., 4.
Copra, 147.
Copra-mill, 216-217.
Coquimbo, 82, 93, 142.
Coral on ship's bottom, 151.
Corals, distribution of, 221.
Coral, red, 234.
Cordillera, 64, 75, 89, 99, 128, 135.
_Corea_, steamship, 194, 198.
Cormorants, 42, 106, 107, 110, 111.
Covadonga Group, 137, 139.
Corona Island, 127.
Cox, Mr., of Talcahuano, 62.
Coypu of Magellan, 48.
Crabs at African Island, 219.
Crania, 179.
Croker, Captain, 170.
Crooked Reach, 117, 124.
Crosshatchings, 74.
Culebras bank, 177.
Cunningham, Mr., of Beagle, 191.
Cunningham, Dr., of Nassau, 61.
_Curaçoa_, voyage of, 173
Currant-bush, 134.
Danger Islands, 154.
Darros Island, 221, 225, 226.
Darwin, Mr., 27, 31, 83, 97, 106.
Davita, our guide, 171.
_Dayot_ sloop, 146, 151, 152.
Dean Island, 185, 186.
Deedes, Lieutenant James, 3.
Deer, in West Patagonia, 64.
Delgado Bay, 59.
D'Entrecasteaux, 168.
Des Neufs Island, 225, 226.
Diadem Peak, 146.
Diddle-dee, 31, 41.
_Dido_, H.M.S., 159.
Dinwoodie, Mr. John, 4.
Dolphin, 144.
Drawings by aborigines, 191.
Dredging at St. Vincent, 16.
" Madeira, 10-11.
" Hotspur Bank, 18.
" Victoria Bank, 19.
" Port Molle, 187.
" other, 193, 207, 217, 221.
Drongo, 207.
Duck, crested, 38, 68.
Du Lise Island, 237.
Dungeness Point, 34.
Dunsmuir, Mr., 37.
Dupuys, Mr., 232.
Durazno, trip to, 24.
Eagle Island, 220, 225, 226, 227.
Earthquake at Coquimbo, 83.
East, Sub-Lieut. W., 4.
Eastern Archipelago, 209.
Eastlake, Mr., 181.
Eden Harbour, 104.
Edwards, Captain, 168.
Edye, Mr., of Durazno, 27.
Eels, voracious, 219.
Egg of _Epiornis_, 244.
Eighth-Degree Channel, 210.
Elevation of land, 83, 128, 134, 138, 171, 175, 201, 227, 228.
Elizabeth Island, Paumotus, 228.
" " Magellan, 38.
Ellis, the missionary, 145.
Elton, Mr., 141.
England, return to, 243.
English Narrows, 79, 104, 123, 139.
Etoile Island, 225, 226.
Equatorial current, 7.
Evans, Sir Frederick, 3.
Eyre Sound, glacier at, 79, 137.
Fakaata or Bowditch Island, 154, 158.
Falkland Islands, 31, 77.
Fallos Channel, 111.
_Favourite_, H.M.S., 170.
Fayal, 245.
_Felis_, sealing vessel, 113.
Fenton, Dr., of Sandy Point, 36, 117.
Ferns, 200
" of Amirantes, 223.
" Patagonian Channels, 46.
Fiji, 2, 159, 167.
Finisterre, Cape, 5.
Fire, Fuegian, 44, 53.
Firestone, Fuegian, 119, 120, 121.
Finow, Tonga chief, 168.
Fish, 63, 218.
Fish-weirs, Fuegian, 125.
Fitzroy, Admiral, 48, 54, 55, 65, 130.
" Island, 190, 198.
Flinders Island, 192.
Flint-flaking, 119.
Flora of Amirantes, 222, 223.
" Du Lise Island, 237.
" Providence Island, 233.
Flowering plants, Patagonian Channels, 46, 80.
Flycatchers, 183.
Flying fish, 12.
Fly-trap plant, 93.
Fox of Falklands, 33.
Fox bats, 173.
Francisco Bay, 71, 72.
_Freia_, German vessel, 123.
Friendly Islanders, 175.
Fringing reefs, 226.
Fuegians, Channel, 49.
Funchal, Madeira, 8, 9, 10, 11.
Fur-seal of Magellan, 114.
Garajas, Point, 10.
Gatcombe Head, 180.
Gates at Tongatabu, 169.
Gaucho, 23.
George, King of Tonga, 172.
Giant's Causeway, 15.
Glacier, marks of old, 66, 74.
Glacier at Glacier Bay, 124, 125.
Gladstone, town of, 182.
Glasgow Bank, failure of, 13.
Globigerina ooze, 18.
Glorioso Group, 237.
Godeffroy & Co., 169.
Gold-fields of North Australia, 203.
Gold mines at Sandy Point, 36.
Goode Island, 198.
Goose, Brent, 57.
" Kelp, 56, 57, 104.
" Upland, 38, 39.
Gordon, Sir Arthur, 164.
Gott, Mr., 208.
Grabham, Dr., 11.
Grallina, 183.
Grass trees, 181.
Graves of Fuegians, 54.
Gray Harbour, 139.
Grebe, 38.
Greenstone, 74, 77.
Grenfell, Lieutenant, 4.
Guanacos, 34.
Guia Narrows, 73.
Gulf Stream, 7.
Gulfweed, 7.
Gulls, habits of, 60.
" " of Talcahuano, 97.
Gunn, Lieutenant Gordon, 4, 27.
Günther, Dr., 137, 139.
Haase, Mr., 131.
Hailstone rock, 75.
Hale Cove, 140.
Halicott, Mr., 153.
Hammond Island, 198.
Hanslip, Mr., 175.
Hapai Islands, 168, 169.
Haswell, Mr., 180, 183, 185, 191, 200.
Hawk, 15.
Hawksworth's voyages, 144.
Henderson & Co., 157.
Hermit crabs, 221.
Hickey, John, 231.
Hifo, village of, 173, 175.
Hinchinbrock Island, 190.
Hindostan, 242.
Holloway, Mr., 11.
Honey-eater, 183.
Horn Island, 198.
Horses of Sandy Point, 37.
Hoskyn Cove, 79.
Hotel Universal, at Buenos Ayres, 28.
" Oddo, at Santiago, 90.
Hoyaeux, Mons., 232, 235.
Huemul, 55, 91.
Huillin, 98.
Huts of Fuegians, 53.
Hydroid coral, 71.
Iceberg Sound, 104.
Icebergs in Messier Channel, 104.
Icy Inlet, 137.
" Reach, 79.
Independencia, rock at, 24
Indian Reach, 137.
India-rubber trade, 241.
Inocentes Channel, 112.
_Isabella_, labour vessel, 181.
Isla de los Reyes, 96.
Island harbour, 80, 104.
Isle des Roches, 223, 225, 226, 229.
Isthmus Bay, 41.
Ivi tree, 172.
Jerome Channel, 117, 127, 136.
Joashim Suarez, 26.
Joe, Ratu, 159, 160, 163.
Kaicolos, 165, 166.
Kanakas, 196.
Kava, 174.
King Charles South Land, 56.
Kingfisher, 107.
King George's Island, 144.
Kitchen-middens at Tom Bay, 57.
Kite, Australian, 207.
Komba Island, 209.
Kosmos Line, 35, 64.
La Compania, 91.
" Rance Bank, 177.
" Sagittaria, 144.
" Venus, frigate, 145.
Labour vessels, 155, 181.
Lagoon at Tom Bay, 58.
Lalis, 161.
Lalla Rookh Bank, 158.
Lambert, Mr., 84, 93.
Lamire, sealer, 55, 74.
Land-crab, 200.
Land-shells, 62, 200.
Larikias, 204.
Latitude Cove, 112.
Las Cardas, trip to, 84.
" Piedras, 25.
" Tablas, Bay of, 101.
Lasikaus, 162.
Latorre, Captain, 130, 131.
Laughing jackass, 183.
Lawrence, Mr., of Concepcion, 98.
Leadbetter, Captain, 123.
Letore, Señor, of Uruguay, 23.
Levuka, Fiji, 159, 160, 165, 178.
Lifonga, 168.
Limestone, "ripple-marked," 68.
Limpets, 48, 67.
Lisbon, 6.
Livoni, 165.
" River, 166.
Lizards, 199, 220.
Lizard Island, 190.
Llallai, 90, 92.
Lobos Island, 21.
London Missionary Society, 158.
Long Island, 184.
Loo Rock, 9.
Low, Mr., 54.
Lucas sounding machine, 7.
Maafu, 172.
Machico, 9.
Maclear, Captain John, 3, 82, 98, 173, 174, 191.
Macolos, 241.
Madagascar, 231, 237, 243.
Madeira, 5, 7, 8, 9, 12.
Madre de Dios Island, 47.
Madura Island, 209.
Magellan, Straits of, 1, 34, 112, 117, 127.
_Magellanes_, Chilian vessel gunboat or corvette, 40, 130.
Mahé, 211, 213, 214, 218.
Malacca, Straits of, 2, 210.
Malay Archipelago, 2.
Maldive Islands, 210.
Maldonado Point, 21.
Mallicollo, New Hebrides, 179.
Manga Reva Island, 152.
Mariner of Tonga, 168, 169.
Martin, Dr. John, 169.
_Maranhense_, s.s., 123, 124.
Marie Louise Island, 225, 226.
Matavai Bay, 144.
Maté drinking, 28.
Maurelle, 168.
Mauritius, 214.
Mayne, Adam, 157.
" Harbour, 42.
Mayotta Island, 240.
McCorkill, Mr., 165.
Megalithic structure, 173.
Mendaña, 144.
Merilava, 179.
Mequin Paso, 90.
Messier Channel, 103, 104, 111, 123.
Miers, Mr. E. J., 11.
Moa, town of, 173.
Monsoons, 206.
Montague Bank, 20.
Monte, 27.
Montenegro, 90, 92.
Monte Video, 22, 124.
Moraine profonde, 76.
Moreno, Señor, 30.
Morice, Dr., 204.
Morne, Captain, 166.
Moseley, Mr., 166.
Moss, curious growth of, 108.
Moths on the ocean, 20.
Mound bird, 201.
Mozambique, 2.
" Island, 240, 241, 242.
Mulhall, Mr., 30.
Museums at Buenos Ayres, 28, 29.
Mussels, 48, 67.
Nares, Sir George, 2, 3, 11, 63, 82, 106.
Narrows, English, 62.
" First, 34.
" Guia, 73.
_Nassau_, H.M.S., 1, 54.
" Island, 152.
Natives of West Patagonia, 48.
New Hebrides, 179.
North, Mr. Frederick, 4, 43.
Nouvelle Cythére, 145.
Nukualofa, 169, 170, 175.
Nukunono Island, 154, 158.
Nutria, 58, 97, 126.
Oatáfu Island, 154, 155.
Obstruction Sound, 55, 65.
O'Niel, Mr., 242.
Oranges, 148.
Orchids, 199.
Ores of copper, 94.
Organ-pipe Range, 67.
Ostriches of Uruguay, 26.
Otaheite, 145.
Otter of Magellan, 48, 58.
Otway Water, 117, 127, 128.
Ovalau, 159, 160, 165, 166.
Oyster-catcher, 39, 55, 68.
Pachuros, 142.
Palmas, 12.
Palmerston, town of, 201, 202.
Pampas, 97.
Pandora, 168.
Paofai, 151.
Papiété, 146.
Paraguay tea or "yerba," 29.
Parlett, Mr., 242.
Paroquets, 183.
Parr, Mr., of Fiji, 165, 166.
Parrayon, Mons., 151.
Partridge, red-legged, 220.
Patagonia, 128, 136.
Patent Log injured by sharks, 82.
Pau Mountain, 242.
Paumotus, 228.
Payne, Mr. Alfred, 4.
Pearls, 198.
Pearl-shell of Alphonse Island, 231.
Pearl-shelling, 194, 196, 197.
Peat avalanche, 31.
Pecherays, 55, 123.
Peckett Harbour, 38.
"Peeter," 156.
Pelagic animals, 17, 168, 179.
Peñas, gulf of, 48, 51, 73, 80, 103.
Penco, 95, 96, 99.
Percy Islands, 183.
Petrels, 13, 17, 87, 88, 89, 105.
Petley, Lieutenant W. H., 4, 185.
Phillipi, Dr., 90.
Phosphorescence, 8.
Picton Channel, 73, 74.
" town, 51.
Pigafetta, 140.
Pilot fish, 13.
Pinery at Madeira, 11.
Plate River, 21, 112.
Playa Parda Cove, 41, 124.
Plaza de Armas, 90.
" Vittoria, 30.
Plymouth, sail from, 5.
" return to, 245.
Point Venus, 149.
Poivre Island, 222, 226.
Pomare, King, 146.
" Queen, 145.
Porpoises, 14.
Port Albany, 193.
" au-Prince, 168.
" Charrua, 74.
" Curtis, 180.
" Darwin, 201, 202, 204, 206.
" Denison, 188, 189.
" Elizabeth, 244.
" Famine, 35.
" Gallant, 122.
" Grappler, 79.
" Henry, 59, 62, 66, 67, 68.
" Molle, 184, 185, 186.
" Riofrio, 137.
" Rosario, 47, 69.
" Tamar, 1.
Portage for canoes, 42, 59.
Portland Bay, 63.
Porto Santo, 7, 15.
Portuguese, 241, 242.
Possession Island, 198.
Praslin Island, 214.
Prince of Wales Channel, 194.
" " Island, 198.
Protectorate, French, 146.
Providence Island, 231, 232, 237.
P.S.N.C. (Pacific Steam Navigation Company), 35.
Puerto Bueno, 137.
Punta Walichii, 30.
Queensland, 180.
Quillapan, 98, 99, 100, 101.
Quiriquina Island, 101.
Quiros, Pedro de, 144.
Rada de las Minas, 130.
Railway at Coquimbo, 83.
Rainfall in W. Patagonia, 45.
Raised beach, 138.
Rat, white-tailed, 184.
Ratu, 159.
_Rescue_, sealing vessel, 112.
Rewa River, 165.
Richards, Mr., 94.
Ridley, Mr. S. O., 18, 71.
Rio Grande, 84.
Rio Negro, 26.
Robleria, bridge at, 99, 101.
Roca Partida, 54.
Roches moutonnées, 76.
" perchées, 76.
Rock of W. Patagonia, 47.
Rock-drill at work, 94, 95.
Rookery, seal, 49, 136.
Rooper, Lieut. G., 3, 139.
Root-of-war, 160.
San Antonio, 15.
" Rosendo, 99.
Sandy Point, 35, 36, 37, 112, 113.
Santa Cruz River, 29.
" Fé, 99.
" Ines Island, 117.
" Lucia de Santiago, 91.
" " de Uruguay, 25.
Santiago de Chilé, 89, 90, 91, 99.
Sapodie Island, 209.
Sargasso Sea, 8.
Sarmiento, 35, 68.
" Channel, 41.
Sauve Souris, 233.
Sea lion, 44.
Seals, breeding time of, 48.
Seal-hunting, hardships of, 115.
Sealskins, value of, 114.
Seal trade in Magellan Waters, 114.
Sea-water, discoloured, 13, 141, 177.
Seychelle Islands, 2, 210, 214, 230.
Shark, 13, 158.
Shell Terraces of Coquimbo, 83.
Shrikes, 183.
Silvertop Mountain, 69.
Simon's Bay, 244.
Singapore, 2, 209, 210.
Skua, Antarctic, 110, 141.
Skull of Fuegian, 70.
Skyring Water, 55, 127, 128, 130.
Small-pox, 141, 206.
Smith, Mr. Edgar, 62, 139.
Smyth's Channel, 130, 137.
Snipe, Magellan, 137.
Soil motion, 75.
Soilcap, structure of, 47.
Solomon Islands, 181.
Sombrero Island, 103.
Somerset, settlement of, 193.
Southport, 203, 204.
Sparrow-hawk, 5.
Spears of Channel Fuegians, 52.
Sphinx Moths, 20.
Spider, Trap-door, 118.
St. Ambrose Island, 85, 86, 87.
" Felix Island, 85.
" Helena, 245.
" Pierre, 236.
" Vincent, 15.
Staffa Columns, 15.
Stanley Harbour, 31.
Starling, soldier, 38.
Steamer-ducks, 39, 55, 61, 62, 104.
Stole, John, 112.
Stone Runs of Falklands, 32, 77, 78.
Straits of Magellan, 1.
Strangers' Club, 29.
Structure of Amirantes, 226, 227.
" " Oceanic Islands, 218.
Submarine cable, 202.
Sumatra, 210.
Sumbawa, 209.
Suva, 167, 179.
Swallow at sea, 7.
Swallow Bay, 125, 136.
Swan, black-necked, 112, 129, 135.
Swift at sea, 209.
Swifts in cave, 176.
Sydney, 166, 167, 180.
Syenite, 74, 76.
Symonds, Mr., 175.
Table Mountain, 241.
Tahiti, 144.
Talca, 99.
Talcahuano, 95, 96, 101, 141.
Tamitao, 150.
Tanjon Paggar, 210.
Tapa, 162.
Tapaculo, 85.
Tasman, 168.
Tea-plant, 31.
Tehuelches, 30.
Tekeenicas, 55.
Tema Reef, 153.
Terutero, 97.
Thompson, Sir William, 7.
" " Wyville, 21, 32, 77.
Thouars, Admiral du Petit, 145.
Thrush of Magellan, 37.
Thursday Island, 194, 196.
Tierra del Fuego, 34, 112.
Tilly Bay, 118, 125, 127, 136.
Timor Island, 209.
Tom Bay, 42, 43, 56, 57, 60, 61, 111, 112.
Tonga Islands, 168, 169.
Tonga, Mr. David, 173.
Tongatabu, 167, 169.
Torres Straits, 194, 195, 180, 201.
Tortoise of Aldabra, 215.
Totoonga Valley, 165.
Topar Island, 78.
Tower at Funchal, 9.
Trammel net, 60.
Treachery of Fuegians, 112.
Tree, silicified, 102.
Trees of W. Patagonia, 46.
Trepangs, 190.
Tribes of Fuegians, 55.
Trinidad Channel, 54, 68, 71, 73, 75, 103, 104, 111.
Trumpet-shells, 67.
Tucker, Captain, 198.
Tucutuco, 26, 27, 35, 38.
Turtle, 21, 219, 231, 233.
Uea, 175.
Union Group, 154.
Uruguay, 22.
Ushuwia, mission station, 56, 112.
Valparaiso, 3, 78, 80, 82, 89, 90, 93.
Vanilla, 148, 216, 223.
Vavau, 169.
Veloutier Blanc, 233, 237.
" Tabac, 233, 236.
Venus, transit of, 145.
Vereker, Lieut. the Hon., 3, 10.
Veronica, 67.
Victoria Bank, 20.
_Victorieuse_, ironclad, 146.
Vines at Madeira, 12.
Viti Levu, 160, 162, 165, 167.
Vocabulary of Fuegian words, 122.
Vunivalu, 160.
Wager Island, 103.
" Loss of, 51.
Waidou, 179.
Wallis, Captain, 144.
War canoes, 148.
Ware, Mr., of Durazno, 27.
Water-kite, 6, 7.
Watts, Dr., 32.
Weir, Mr., of Compañia, 84, 93, 94, 95.
Wellington Island, 73, 78, 111, 138.
" Gnu, 172, 173.
Wesleyan Missionaries, 169.
West Island, 198.
Wetter Island, 209.
Whales and shrimps, 72.
Wide Channel, 78, 137.
Wilkes, Captain, 149.
Wilson, Mr., 29.
Winter's Bark Tree, 36.
Wolsey Sound, 68.
Woomerahs, 205.
Yacanas, 55.
Yi, River, 27.
Yoronha, 147.
INDEX OF NATURAL HISTORY TERMS.
ZOOLOGICAL.
MAMMALS, _genera and species of_:--
Arctocephalus falklandicus, 114.
Cervus chilensis, 64, 91.
Chlamydophorus retusus, 30.
Ctenomys, 27, 35, 38, 129, 142, 143.
Epiodon, 30.
Glyptodon, 29.
Hydromys, 184.
Lutra felina, 58, 115, 137.
" huidobrio, 98.
Machairodont, 29.
Mylodon, 29.
Myopotamus coypu, 58, 97, 126, 137.
Otaria jubata, 44, 114.
Physeter macrocephalus, 20.
Pteropus keraudrenii, 173.
Toxodon, 29.
BIRDS, _genera and species of_:--
Ægialitis, 201.
Anas cristata, 38, 39, 68, 136.
Anous, 86.
Anseranas melanoleuca, 208.
Artamus, 200.
Bernicla antarctica, 56.
Bruchigavia, 201.
Buteo erythronotus, 129.
Campephaga, 200.
Centrites niger, 37, 38.
Centropus, 201.
Ceryle stellata, 107.
Chætura, 209.
Chalcophaps, 201.
Chibia, 201.
" bracteata, 207.
Chloephaga magellanica, 38, 57.
" poliocephala, 57.
Cinclodes, 39, 129, 133.
Climacteris, 201.
Collocalia spodiopygia, 176.
Cygnus nigricollis, 112, 136.
" coscoroba, 136.
Dacelo, 201.
" gigas, 183.
Daption capensis, 18, 87, 141.
Dicæum, 200.
Diomedea exulans, 22.
" fuliginosa, 22, 141.
" melanophrys, 89, 141.
Donacola, 201.
" castaneothorax, 207.
Epiornis, 244.
Erythrauchena, 201.
Foudia madagascariensis, 224.
Gallinago stricklandi, 137.
Gallinula, 209.
Geopelia, 201.
" placida, 207.
Grallina, 201, 207.
" picata, 183.
Graucalus, 183, 201.
Hæmatopus, 201.
" ater, 56.
" leucopus, 56.
Halcyon, 201.
" sanctus, 201.
Haliastur, 207.
Haliæetus leucogaster, 181.
Larus dominicanus, 60, 97.
" glaucoides, 97.
" maculipennis, 97.
Lestris antarctica, 141.
Megapodius, 201.
" tumulus, 201.
Merops, 201.
Mimeta, 201, 208.
Myiagra, 201.
" plumbea, 201.
Myzantha garrula, 183.
Myzomela, 200.
Nectarinia, 200.
" australis, 201.
Nycticorax, 201.
" caledonicus, 201.
Oceanites grallaria=T. gracilis, 141.
Œdicnemus, 201.
Œstrelata defilippiana, 86, 101.
Ossifraga gigantea, 87.
Pachycephala, 200.
Pelecanoides urinatrix, 106.
Pelicanus, 201.
Phalacrocorax magellanicus, 106.
" imperialis, 106.
Piezorhynchus nitidus, 207.
Plictolophus, 201.
Porphyrio melanotus, 201.
Pteroptochus, 85, 129.
" albicollis, 85.
Ptilinopus, 201.
" superbus, 201.
" swainsoni, 201.
Ptilotis, 184, 200.
Sauloprocta, 201.
Stercorarius chilensis=L. antarctica, 110.
Sterna, 201.
Sphecotheres, 201.
Sula, 86.
Tachyeres cinereus, 56, 61.
Thalassidroma leucogaster, 87.
" leachii, 5.
" pelagica, 5, 13, 18.
" wilsoni, 87.
Trichoglossus, 200.
" chrysocolla, 183.
" novæhollandiæ, 183, 208.
" rubritorquis, 183, 208.
Troglodytes, 129.
Tropidorhynchus, 201.
" corniculatus, 183.
Turtur, 238.
Upucerthia, 142.
" dumetaria, 142.
Zosterops, 201, 207, 238.
REPTILES, _genus and species of_:--
Monitor, 199.
Sphargis coriacea, 30.
BATRACHIANS, _genus of_:--
Cacotus, 139.
FISHES, _genera and species of_:--
Aplochiton zebra, 63.
Callorhynchus australis, 71.
Exocetus volitans, 12.
Galaxias, 63.
Myxine, 35.
Naucrates ductor, 13.
Neophrynichthys latus, 137.
Periophthalmus, 166, 218.
Platycephalus, 193.
Squalus glaucus, 13.
Thinnus pelamis, 13.
MOLLUSCS, _genera, etc., of_:--
Arca, 16, 22, 39, 187, 217.
Atlanta, 179.
Baculites, 102.
Bulimus beddomei, 200.
Bulla, 235.
Calyptræa, 70.
Cardium, 10, 16, 102.
Chilinia, 62, 63, 139.
Chiton, 70.
Cleodora pyramidata, 19.
Concholepas, 67, 68.
Conus, 235, 240.
Criseis aciculata, 6, 18, 19.
Cuvieria, 18.
Cypræa, 10, 187, 235, 240.
" mauritiana, 242.
" moneta, 240.
" tigris, 242.
Dentalium, 10, 22.
Dolium, 235, 240.
Eurybia gaudichaudi, 168, 179.
Fissurella, 70.
Fusus, 240, 242.
Haliotis, 240, 242.
Harpa, 16, 235.
Helicina reticulata, 200.
Helix, 62.
" buxtoni, 200.
" delessertiana, 200.
" kreffti, 200.
" spaldingi, 200.
Hippopus, 187.
Hyalea, 17, 19, 22.
Ianthina, 17, 18.
Lima, 187.
Littorina, 16, 235.
Mactra, 105.
Melo, 192.
Mytilus, 39.
Nassa, 240.
Natica, 240, 242.
Nerita, 185.
Neritina, 221, 240, 242.
Oliva, 10, 240.
Onychoteuthis ingens, 139.
Ostræa, 132, 185, 242.
Patella, 16, 39, 70.
Pecten, 10.
Pinna, 187, 242.
Pneumodermon, 19.
Ranella, 207.
Rossia, 71.
Siliquaria, 185.
Spirula, 16, 237.
Stilifer, 188.
Strombus, 16.
Succinea, 62.
Terebra, 185.
Teredo, 202.
Tridacna, 187, 242.
Trivia, 240.
Trochus, 39.
Trophon, 39.
Turbinella, 240.
Unio, 62.
Voluta, 39, 235, 242.
POLYZOA, _genera of_:--
Amathia, 187.
Biflustra, 187.
Canda, 20.
Cellepora, 20, 207, 187, 222.
Cribrillina, 20.
Crisia, 182, 187, 207, 222.
Eschara, 18, 187, 207, 222.
Gigantopora, 20.
Lepralia, 207, 222.
Idmonea, 207.
Membranipora, 8, 20.
Myriozoum, 187, 222.
Retepora, 187, 207, 222.
Rhyncopora, 20.
Salicornaria, 187.
Scrupocellaria, 187.
Smittia, 20.
TUNICATA, _genera of_:--
Pyrosoma, 168.
Salpa, 19.
INSECTS, _genera, etc., of_:--
Halobates, 17.
Phylloxera vastatrix, 12.
CRUSTACEA, _genera, etc., of_:--
Actæa, 19.
Alpheus, 182, 187, 193, 218.
Arcturus, 71.
Atergatis, 218.
Birgus, 238.
Calappa, 242.
Corallana, 19.
Egeria, 193.
Galathea, 173, 217.
Gelasimus, 172, 182, 218.
Geograpsus, 200.
Glaucothöe, 9.
Goniograpsus, 187.
Grapsus, 191, 218, 242.
" variegatus, 86, 187, 219.
Hiastemis, 187, 207.
Huenia, 187.
Lambrus, 187, 207.
Leucosia, 191.
Lithodes antarctica, 58.
Macrophthalmus, 189, 218.
Matuta, 189.
Mycteris, 189.
Myra, 187, 207.
Ocypoda, 218, 219.
Ozius, 182.
Parampelia saxicola, 191.
Phlyxia, 191, 207.
Phyllosoma, 18, 179.
Pinnotheres, 187.
Porcellana, 171, 218.
Remipes scutellatus, 16.
Scylla, 218.
Serolis, 71.
Squilla, 187.
Thalamita, 217.
Thalassina, 182.
ANNELIDA, _family, etc., of_:--
Amphinomidæ, 187.
Nereis, 10.
Polynæ, 187.
Sagitta, 179.
Spirorbis, 8, 13, 14, 19.
Tomopteris, 142.
ECHINODERMATA, _genera, etc., of_:--
Asteracanthus, 189.
Asterias, 242.
Astrophyton, 182, 187, 188.
" lymani, 71.
Cidaris, 11.
Comatula, 187, 193.
Echinus, 10, 70.
Gephyrea, 40, 105.
Goniocidaris, 187, 193.
Hemiaster, 240.
Holothuria, 187.
Moliria, 222.
Ophiuridea, 187.
Pentaceros, 193.
Peronella, 189.
Salmacis, 187.
Spatangus, 191.
Synapta, 193, 222.
CŒLENTERATA:--
Actinia, 17, 71.
Astræa, 187.
Caryophyllia, 187.
Corallium rubrum, 234.
Fungia, 152.
Gorgonia, 182, 187, 193.
Labiopora, 71.
Meandrina, 187.
Medusa, 17.
Orbicella, 187.
Physalia, 17.
Plumularia, 187.
Porites, 187.
Sertularia, 187, 222.
Tubipora, 187.
" musica, 240.
Virgularia, 207.
PROTOZOA:--
Aphroceras, 20.
Aspergillum, 118.
Chalina, 20.
Cladochalina, 19.
Globigerina, 14, 17.
Grantia, 20.
Nardoa, 20.
Orbitolites, 6, 218.
Pyrocystis, 8, 19, 22, 179.
Thalassicolla, 179.
Vioa, 20.
BOTANICAL.
Aleurites, 172.
Alsophila, 140.
Apocynaceæ, 233.
Aristolochia, 93.
Barringtonia, 219.
" speciosa, 235.
Berberis, 134.
" empetrifolia, 46.
" ilicifolia, 42, 46, 104.
Bougainvillea, 12.
Calceolaria, 35.
Campsidium chilense, 44, 51, 80, 104.
Cassytha filiformis, 233.
Casuarina, 212, 221, 222, 233.
Cheilobothrium, 129, 134.
Cinchonaceæ, 223.
Conferva, 13, 14, 18.
Convolvulaceæ, 223.
Dendrobium, 199.
Desfontainea hookeri, 46.
Drimys winteri, 44, 46, 53.
Echium, 24.
Embothrium, 46, 129, 134.
Escallonia, 134.
Fagus antarctica, 46, 80.
" betuloides, 46, 80.
Ficus, 222, 223.
Fuchsia magellanica, 42.
Gaultheria antarctica, 42.
Goodeniaceæ, 233.
Gramineæ, 238.
Hepaticæ, 46.
Hernandia peltata, 233.
Hibiscus, 237.
Hymenophyllum, 46, 62.
" cruentum, 80, 138.
Ilex paraguayensis, 27.
Jungermanniæ, 104.
Lapageria rosea, 46.
Libocedrus tetragonus, 42, 44, 46, 52.
Lindsaya ensifolia, 200.
Lychnis, 129.
Lygodium scandens, 200.
Macrocystis, 40.
Malvaceæ, 223, 238.
Mesembryanthemum, 235.
Mitraria coccinea, 138.
Myrtus nummularia, 35.
Nephrolepis acuta, 200.
" exaltata, 223.
Panax, 134.
Pandanus, 199.
Philesia buxifolia, 41, 42, 46.
Polypodium quercifolium, 200.
Pulæa nitida, 200.
Ribes magellanica, 134.
Sargassum bacciferum, 7.
Scævola kœnigii, 223, 233.
Solanaceæ, 223, 238.
Spondias dulcis, 173.
Suriana maritima, 222, 236.
Tetraplodon mnioides, 108, 138.
Tournefortia, 212, 222, 236.
" argentea, 233.
Vacciniaceæ, 140.
Veronica decussata, 67.
Weinmannia trichosperma, 138.
Xanthorrhœa, 181.
Zostera, 243.
Transcriber's Note:
Corrections to the Index have been made without note. Significant
changes to the text are listed below.
p. 16, 'Remites' amended to _Remipes_;
pp. 18, 141, 'Dapteon' amended to _Daption_;
p. 19, 'ariculata' amended to _aciculata_;
p. 20, 'Hylea' amended to _Hyalea_; 'Aphocera' amended to
_Aphroceras_;
p. 30, 'Machairodon' amended to _Machairodont_;
pp. 34, 133, 134, 'guanacoes' amended to _guanacos_;
p. 44, 'Campsidum' amended to _Campsidium_;
p. 46, 'buixfolia' amended to _buxifolia_;
p. 47, 'gaimardeas' amended to _gaimardias_;
p. 63, 'Haplochiton' amended to _Aplochiton_;
p. 70, 'epithyses' amended to _epiphyses_;
pp. 85, 129, 'Tapacola' amended to _Tapaculo_;
p. 86, 'Aestrelata' amended to _Œstrelata_;
p. 91, 'dolicocephaly' amended to _dolichocephaly_;
p. 97, 'terotero' amended to _terutero_; 'glaucodes' amended to
_glaucoides_;
p. 106, 'Phlacrocorax' amended to _Phalacrocorax_;
p. 137, 'Neophrynicthys' amended to _Neophrynichthys_;
p. 141, 'Thallasæca' amended to _Thalassœca_; 'defippiana'
amended to _defilippiana_;
p. 142, 'dumetoria' amended to _dumetaria_;
p. 181, 'Xanthorrea' amended to _Xanthorrhœa_; 'Haliætus'
amended to _Haliæetus_;
p. 182, 'Asterophyton' amended to _Astrophyton_;
pp. 183, 208, 'rubitorquis' amended to _rubritorquis_; 'Novæ
Hollandiæ' amended to _novæhollandiæ_;
p. 183, 'Tropidorhyncus' amended to _Tropidorhynchus_;
p. 187, 'Polynöes' amended to _Polynæ_; 'Amathea' amended to
_Amathia_;
pp. 187, 188, 'Asterophytons' amended to _Astrophytons_;
pp. 187, 207, 'Lambris' amended to _Lambrus_;
p. 188, 'asterophyton' amended to _astrophyton_; 'praestomium'
amended to _prostomium_;
p. 217, 'Thalamites' amended to _Thalamita_;
p. 218, 'Atergitus' amended to _Atergatis_; 'Scilla' amended to
_Scylla_;
p. 223, 'Convolvulacæ' amended to _Convolvulaceæ_;
p. 224, 'Madagascarensis' amended to _madagascariensis_;
p. 238, 'Eupharbiaceæ' amended to _Euphorbiaceæ_; 'Granuiceæ'
amended to _Graminaceæ_;
Listed below are unique genera and species names that remain
unverified for typographical errors.
p. 98, 'Lutra huidobrio';
pp. 129, 134, 'cheilobothrium';
pp. 187, 207, 'Hiastemis';
p. 191, 'Parampelia saxicola';
p. 200, 'Pulæa nitida';
p. 222, 'Moliria';
Note on genera and species: Whilst it was not uncommon for binomial
names to retain an initial capital letter when formed from a
proper noun, e.g., _Cervus Chilensis_, such notation has only been
occasionally, and erratically, applied within the original text. To
avoid these discrepancies the secondary element of each binomial
name has been rendered in lowercase, e.g., _Cervus chilensis_.
End of Project Gutenberg's Cruise of the 'Alert', by R. W. Coppinger