but from the evergreen trees and plants, ſuch as the box and the prickly pear, with the torch thiſtle, and the mangrove. The middle of the iſle is low land, and at a very ſmall diſtance has the appearance of being divided into two parts, particularly on the South ſide. On the Weſtern part of the bay, in which we anchored, the land is barren and rocky; in ſome parts, it has the appearance of being covered with cinders; and in others, with a kind of iron clinker, in flakes of ſeveral feet in circumference, and from one to three inches thick: in paſſing over them, they ſound like plates of iron: the earth is alſo frequently rent in cracks, that run irregularly from Eaſt to Weſt and are many fathoms deep: there were alſo large caves, and on the tops of every hill, which we aſcended, was the mouth of a pit, whoſe depth muſt be immenſe, from the length of time, during which, a ſtone, that was thrown into it, was heard. Many of the cavities on the ſides of the hills, as well as on the level ground, contained water, but of ſuch a brackiſh taſte, as to render it unfit to be drank. In moſt of them, there were conſiderable flocks of teals, which were by no means ſhy, and were eaſily caught; they are of the ſame kind as thoſe known in England.
This iſland contains no great number, or variety, of land birds, and thoſe I ſaw, were not remarkable for their