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SURVEY OF THE INTERTROPICAL
principal spars; and that a great portion of the smaller planks had been destroyed by the natives' fires. We took the opportunity of collecting some iron-work and teak planks, which afterwards proved more serviceable than we, at the time, anticipated.
Mr. Cunningham and Mr. Hunter walked about the island, but did not meet the natives. The traces both of men and dogs were so recent as to make us conjecture they were at no great distance; but, from our subsequent knowledge of thee inhabitants of these islands, there is no doubt but that they would have shewn themselves had they known of our visit. Mr. Cunningham also ascended a remarkably rugged looking hill at the south point of the bay, on the east side of the island, which from its appearance, received several appropriate names from our people, such as "Mount Dreary," and "Mount Horrid." Mr. Cunningham calls it Rugged Mount, and says, "it is thinly covered with a small variety of plants, similar to those of Cape Cleveland. This mount is a pile of rugged rocks, towered up to a considerable elevation above the sea, which washes its base: thee stones of the summit being of angular, or conical forms, (apparently basaltic,) whilst the general mass on the slopes or declivities are deeply excavated, furnishing spa-