Afterseveraltediousdelaysfromcloudedweather，onthe14thofMarch，wegladlystoodoutofKingGeorge’sSoundonourcoursetoKeelingIsland。
Farewell，Australia！youarearisingchild，anddoubtlesssomedaywillreignagreatprincessintheSouth：butyouaretoogreatandambitiousforaffection，yetnotgreatenoughforrespect。Ileaveyourshoreswithoutsorroworregret。[1]Itisremarkablehowthesamediseaseismodifiedindifferentclimates。AtthelittleislandofSt。Helenatheintroductionofscarletfeverisdreadedasaplague。Insomecountries，foreignersandnativesareasdifferentlyaffectedbycertaincontagiousdisordersasiftheyhadbeendifferentanimals；ofwhichfactsomeinstanceshaveoccurredinChile；and，accordingtoHumboldt，inMexicoPolit。Essay，NewSpain，vol。iv。。
[2]NarrativeofMissionaryEnterprise，p。282。
[3]CaptainBeecheychap。iv。，vol。i。statesthattheinhabitantsofPitcairnIslandarefirmlyconvincedthatafterthearrivalofeveryshiptheysuffercutaneousandotherdisorders。CaptainBeecheyattributesthistothechangeofdietduringthetimeofthevisit。
Dr。MaccullochWesternIsles，vol。ii。p。32says：“Itisasserted，thatonthearrivalofastrangeratSt。Kildaalltheinhabitants，inthecommonphraseology，catchacold。”Dr。Maccullochconsidersthewholecase，althoughoftenpreviouslyaffirmed，asludicrous。Headds，however，that“thequestionwasputbyustotheinhabitantswhounanimouslyagreedinthestory。”InVancouver’sVoyage，thereisasomewhatsimilarstatementwithrespecttoOtaheite。Dr。Dieffenbach，inanotetohistranslationoftheJournal，statesthatthesamefactisuniversallybelievedbytheinhabitantsoftheChathamIslands，andinpartsofNewZealand。Itisimpossiblethatsuchabeliefshouldhavebecomeuniversalinthenorthernhemisphere，attheAntipodes，andinthePacific，withoutsomegoodfoundation。
HumboldtPolit。EssayonKingofNewSpain，vol。iv。says，thatthegreatepidemicsofPanamaandCallaoare“marked“bythearrivalofshipsfromChile，becausethepeoplefromthattemperateregion，firstexperiencethefataleffectsofthetorridzones。Imayadd，thatIhavehearditstatedinShropshire，thatsheep，whichhavebeenimportedfromvessels，althoughthemselvesinahealthycondition，ifplacedinthesamefoldwithothers，frequentlyproducesicknessintheflock。
[4]TravelsinAustralia，vol。i。p。154。ImustexpressmyobligationtoSirT。Mitchell，forseveralinterestingpersonalcommunicationsonthesubjectofthesegreatvalleysofNewSouthWales。
[5]Iwasinterestedbyfindingherethehollowconicalpitfallofthelion-ant，orsomeotherinsect；firstaflyfelldownthetreacherousslopeandimmediatelydisappeared；thencamealargebutunwaryant；itsstrugglestoescapebeingveryviolent，thosecuriouslittlejetsofsand，describedbyKirbyandSpenceEntomol。，vol。i。p。
425asbeingflirtedbytheinsect’stail，werepromptlydirectedagainsttheexpectedvictim。Buttheantenjoyedabetterfatethanthefly，andescapedthefataljawswhichlayconcealedatthebaseoftheconicalhollow。
ThisAustralianpitfallwasonlyabouthalfthesizeofthatmadebytheEuropeanlion-ant。
[6]PhysicalDescriptionofNewSouthWalesandVanDiemen’sLand，p。354。PreviousChapterNextChapterTheVoyageoftheBeagle-Chapter20TheVoyageoftheBeaglebyCharlesDarwinPreviousChapterNextChapterChapter20-KeelingIsland：——CoralFormationsAPRIL1st——WearrivedinviewoftheKeelingorCocosIslands，situatedintheIndianOcean，andaboutsixhundredmilesdistantfromthecoastofSumatra。Thisisoneofthelagoon-islandsoratollsofcoralformation，similartothoseintheLowArchipelagowhichwepassednear。Whentheshipwasinthechannelattheentrance，Mr。Liesk，anEnglishresident，cameoffinhisboat。Thehistoryoftheinhabitantsofthisplace，inasfewwordsaspossible，isasfollows。Aboutnineyearsago，Mr。Hare，aworthlesscharacter，broughtfromtheEastIndianarchipelagoanumberofMalayslaves，whichnowincludingchildren，amounttomorethanahundred。
Shortlyafterwards，CaptainRoss，whohadbeforevisitedtheseislandsinhismerchant-ship，arrivedfromEngland，bringingwithhimhisfamilyandgoodsforsettlementalongwithhimcameMr。Liesk，whohadbeenamateinhisvessel。TheMalayslavessoonranawayfromtheisletonwhichMr。Harewassettled，andjoinedCaptainRoss’sparty。Mr。Hareuponthiswasultimatelyobligedtoleavetheplace。
TheMalaysarenownominallyinastateoffreedom，andcertainlyareso，asfarasregardstheirpersonaltreatment；butinmostotherpointstheyareconsideredasslaves。Fromtheirdiscontentedstate，fromtherepeatedremovalsfromislettoislet，andperhapsalsofromalittlemismanagement，thingsarenotveryprosperous。Theislandhasnodomesticquadruped，exceptingthepig，andthemainvegetableproductionisthecocoa-nut。Thewholeprosperityoftheplacedependsonthistree：theonlyexportsbeingoilfromthenut，andthenutsthemselves，whicharetakentoSingaporeandMauritius，wheretheyarechieflyused，whengrated，inmakingcurries。
Onthecocoa-nut，also，thepigs，whichareloadedwithfat，almostentirelysubsist，asdotheducksandpoultry。Evenahugeland-crabisfurnishedbynaturewiththemeanstoopenandfeedonthismostusefulproduction。
Thering-formedreefofthelagoon-islandissurmountedinthegreaterpartofitslengthbylinearislets。Onthenorthernorleewardside，thereisanopeningthroughwhichvesselscanpasstotheanchoragewithin。Onentering，thescenewasverycuriousandratherpretty；itsbeauty，however，entirelydependedonthebrilliancyofthesurroundingcolours。Theshallow，clear，andstillwaterofthelagoon，restinginitsgreaterpartonwhitesand，is，whenilluminedbyaverticalsun，ofthemostvividgreen。Thisbrilliantexpanse，severalmilesinwidth，isonallsidesdivided，eitherbyalineofsnow-whitebreakersfromthedarkheavingwatersoftheocean，orfromthebluevaultofheavenbythestripsofland，crownedbytheleveltopsofthecocoa-nuttrees。Asawhitecloudhereandthereaffordsapleasingcontrastwiththeazuresky，sointhelagoon，bandsoflivingcoraldarkentheemeraldgreenwater。
Thenextmorningafteranchoring，IwentonshoreonDirectionIsland。
Thestripofdrylandisonlyafewhundredyardsinwidth；onthelagoonsidethereisawhitecalcareousbeach，theradiationfromwhichunderthissultryclimatewasveryoppressive；andontheoutercoast，asolidbroadflatofcoral-rockservedtobreaktheviolenceoftheopensea。
Exceptingnearthelagoon，wherethereissomesand，thelandisentirelycomposedofroundedfragmentsofcoral。Insuchaloose，dry，stonysoil，theclimateoftheintertropicalregionsalonecouldproduceavigorousvegetation。Onsomeofthesmallerislets，nothingcouldbemoreelegantthanthemannerinwhichtheyoungandfull-growncocoa-nuttrees，withoutdestroyingeachother’ssymmetry，weremingledintoonewood。Abeachofglitteringwhitesandformedabordertothesefairyspots。
Iwillnowgiveasketchofthenaturalhistoryoftheseislands，which，fromitsverypaucity，possessesapeculiarinterest。Thecocoa-nuttree，atfirstglance，seemstocomposethewholewood；therearehowever，fiveorsixothertrees。Oneofthesegrowstoaverylargesize，butfromtheextremesofsoftnessofitswood，isuseless；anothersortaffordsexcellenttimberforship-building。Besidesthetrees，thenumberofplantsisexceedinglylimited，andconsistsofinsignificantweeds。Inmycollection，whichincludes，Ibelieve，nearlytheperfectFlora，therearetwentyspecies，withoutreckoningamoss，lichen，andfungus。Tothisnumbertwotreesmustbeadded；oneofwhichwasnotinflower，andtheotherIonlyheardof。Thelatterisasolitarytreeofitskind，andgrowsnearthebeach，where，withoutdoubt，theoneseedwasthrownupbythewaves。AGuilandinaalsogrowsononlyoneoftheislets。Idonotincludeintheabovelistthesugar-cane，banana，someothervegetables，fruit-trees，andimportedgrasses。
Astheislandsconsistentirelyofcoral，andatonetimemusthaveexistedasmerewater-washedreefs，alltheirterrestrialproductionsmusthavebeentransportedherebythewavesofthesea。Inaccordancewiththis，theFlorulahasquitethecharacterofarefugeforthedestitute：ProfessorHenslowinformsmethatofthetwentyspeciesnineteenbelongtodifferentgenera，andtheseagaintonolessthansixteenfamilies！[1]
InHolman’s[2]Travelsanaccountisgiven，ontheauthorityofMr。A。S。Keating，whoresidedtwelvemonthsontheseislands，ofthevariousseedsandotherbodieswhichhavebeenknowntohavebeenwashedonshore。“SeedsandplantsfromSumatraandJavahavebeendrivenupbythesurfonthewindwardsideoftheislands。AmongthemhavebeenfoundtheKimiri，nativeofSumatraandthepeninsulaofMalacca；
thecocoa-nutofBalci，knownbyitsshapeandsize；theDadass，whichisplantedbytheMalayswiththepepper-vine，thelatterintwiningrounditstrunk，andsupportingitselfbythepricklesonitsstem；thesoap-tree；
thecastor-oilplant；trunksofthesagopalm；andvariouskindsofseedsunknowntotheMalayssettledontheislands。TheseareallsupposedtohavebeendrivenbytheN。W。monsoontothecoastofNewHolland，andthencetotheseislandsbytheS。E。trade-wind。LargemassesofJavateakandYellowwoodhavealsobeenfound，besidesimmensetreesofredandwhitecedar，andthebluegumwoodofNewHolland，inaperfectlysoundcondition。Allthehardyseeds，suchascreepers，retaintheirgerminatingpower，butthesofterkinds，amongwhichisthemangostin，aredestroyedinthepassage。Fishing-canoes，apparentlyfromJava，haveattimesbeenwashedonshore。”Itisinterestingthustodiscoverhownumeroustheseedsare，which，comingfromseveralcountries，aredriftedoverthewideocean。
ProfessorHenslowtellsme，hebelievesthatnearlyalltheplantswhichIbroughtfromtheseislands，arecommonlittoralspeciesintheEastIndianarchipelago。Fromthedirection，however，ofthewindsandcurrents，itseemsscarcelypossiblethattheycouldhavecomehereinadirectline。
If，assuggestedwithmuchprobabilitybyMr。Keating，theywerefirstcarriedtowardsthecoastofNewHolland，andthencedriftedbacktogetherwiththeproductionsofthatcountry，theseeds，beforegerminating，musthavetravelledbetween1800and2400miles。
Chamisso，[3]whendescribingtheRadackArchipelago，situatedinthewesternpartofthePacific，statesthat“theseabringstotheseislandstheseedsandfruitsofmanytrees，mostofwhichhaveyetnotgrownhere。Thegreaterpartoftheseseedsappeartohavenotyetlostthecapabilityofgrowing。”
Itisalsosaidthatpalmsandbamboosfromsomewhereinthetorridzone，andtrunksofnorthernfirs，arewashedonshore：thesefirsmusthavecomefromanimmensedistance。Thesefactsarehighlyinteresting。
Itcannotbedoubtedthatiftherewereland-birdstopickuptheseedswhenfirstcastonshore，andasoilbetteradaptedfortheirgrowththanthelooseblocksofcoral，thatthemostisolatedofthelagoon-islandswouldintimepossessafarmoreabundantFlorathantheynowhave。
Thelistoflandanimalsisevenpoorerthanthatoftheplants。Someoftheisletsareinhabitedbyrats，whichwerebroughtinashipfromtheMauritius，wreckedhere。TheseratsareconsideredbyMr。WaterhouseasidenticalwiththeEnglishkind，buttheyaresmaller，andmorebrightlycoloured。Therearenotrueland-birds，forasnipeandarailRallusPhillippensis，thoughlivingentirelyinthedryherbage，belongtotheorderofWaders。BirdsofthisorderaresaidtooccuronseveralofthesmalllowislandsinthePacific。AtAscension，wherethereisnoland-bird，arailPorphyriosimplexwasshotnearthesummitofthemountain，anditwasevidentlyasolitarystraggler。AtTristand’Acunha，where，accordingtoCarmichael，thereareonlytwoland-birds，thereisacoot。FromthesefactsIbelievethatthewaders，aftertheinnumerableweb-footedspecies，aregenerallythefirstcolonistsofsmallisolatedislands。Imayadd，thatwheneverInoticedbirds，notofoceanicspecies，veryfaroutatsea，theyalwaysbelongedtothisorder；andhencetheywouldnaturallybecometheearliestcolonistsofanyremotepointofland。
OfreptilesIsawonlyonesmalllizard。OfinsectsItookpainstocollecteverykind。Exclusiveofspiders，whichwerenumerous，therewerethirteenspecies。[4]Ofthese，oneonlywasabeetle。
Asmallantswarmedbythousandsundertheloosedryblocksofcoral，andwastheonlytrueinsectwhichwasabundant。Althoughtheproductionsofthelandarethusscanty，ifwelooktothewatersofthesurroundingsea，thenumberoforganicbeingsisindeedinfinite。Chamissohasdescribed[5]thenaturalhistoryofalagoon-islandintheRadackArchipelago；anditisremarkablehowcloselyitsinhabitants，innumberandkind，resemblethoseofKeelingIsland。Thereisonelizardandtwowaders，namely，asnipeandcurlew。Ofplantstherearenineteenspecies，includingafern；andsomeofthesearethesamewiththosegrowinghere，thoughonaspotsoimmenselyremote，andinadifferentocean。