'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from January 1847 to May 1849. Edited by the Secretary. Volume VIII.' [‎367] (476/496)

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eone ? and about the size of a large tumbler, having a short stem with a
flat bottom : it was hollow within, and the sides, when distended with
water, were about a quarter of an inch thick. From its almost perfect re
semblance to a tankard, it has received the very appropriate name of
Neptune’s Goblet: several specimens we collected would have held full a
gallon of water. Shells were not very numerous, and the only ones we
picked up were a few small conches and some cowries. Double Island is
uninhabited, and consists of two portions connected only at low water
by a narrow isthmus: the southernmost is very low, not much above
the level of the ocean : it is very well wooded, the trees chiefly consisting
of the spiral pandanus palm, a species of acacia, and the bamboo. The
soil is a deep vegetable mould formed over a bed of coral rock. In the
centre was a fine open spot of some four or five acres in extent, covered
with fine long grass, the ground appearing as if it had been once clear
ed and cultivated. The easternmost island is about six or seven miles
in circumference, and between 300 and 400 feet high : it is rugged and
very steep, and the sides of the hills are strewed with large boulders: it is
purely a granitic formation, though at the base near the sea we observ
ed a bed of carboniferous limestone protruding beneath, having a con
siderable dip; it was therefore evident that the solid masses of the pri
mary rock had burst asunder the upper crust by some extraordinary
convulsion of nature, and now had taken the place of the secondary
series. A few stunted trees grew about the sides of the hills, and some
high coarse grass in the gullies and crevices, but there was little soil to
support much vegetation, the greater portion having long since been
washed away by the heavy rains. We found adhering firmly to the
rocks, a very beautiful species of fern, called the oak-leaf polypodium .
the root, which was quite exposed, was from six to ten inches in length,
and two or three in circumference, thickly coated with a silky down of
a nut brown colour. Four or five leaves extend along the upper edge of
the root, and exactly resembled, both in size and shape, the dead leaf of
our English oak, but rather larger. The stem sprung from the centre, and
grew to the height of about three or four feet, covered with those ig t
green drooping feathery leaflets so characteristic of the common ern.
A specimen I brought away with me lived for many months, an actua y
sprouted, but owing either to the sea air, or want of proper atten ,
this curious plant at last withered and died. At sunset returne on
board much pleased with our day’s excursion, but before qui mg
shore, the sailors, by way of amusement, set fire to the bus , an
space of a short time, the whole of the eastern island was m a aze,