248 PEAT ANIMALS.
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those who were there. The more elevated parts of East Falkland
are quartz rock ; clay-slate prevails in the intermediate
districts. Sandstone, in which are beautifidly perfect impressions
of shells, occurs in beds within the slate formation : and
upon the slate is a layer of clay, fit for making bricks. Near
the surface, where this clay is of a lighter quality, and mixed
with vegetable remains, it is good soil, fit for cultivation. In
some places, a great extent of clay is covered by a layer of
very solid peat, varying in depth from two to ten feet. The
solidity of this peat is surprising ; it burns well, and is an
excellent substitute for other fuel. To the claj- and to the
solid peat may be attributed the numerous bogs and pools of
water, rather than to the total amount of rain. Is the peat
now growing, or was the whole mass formed ages ago ?
The settlement, now consisting only of a few huts, some cottages,
and a ruinous house or two, occupies the place originally
selected by Bougainville, close to Port Louis, at the head of
Berkeley Sound. Standing in an exposed situation, scattered
over half a mile of rising ground, without a tree or even a
shrub near it, the unfortunate village has a bleak and desolate
appearance, ominous of its sad history. Previous, however, to
entering upon the affairs of the settlement, I will continue my
sketch of the islands and their present produce, independent
of the settlers now there.
By the French, and afterwards by the Spanish colonists, a
number of black cattle, horses, pigs, and rabbits, were turned
loose upon East Falkland ; and, by considerate persons, engaged
in whale or seal-fishery, both goats and pigs have been
left upon smaller islands near West Falkland. These animals
have multiplied exceedingly; and, although they have been
killed indiscriminately by the crews of vessels, as well as by
the settlers, there are still many thousand head of cattle, and
some thousand horses, besides droves of pigs, perfectly wild,
upon the eastern large island : while upon Carcass Island,
Saunders Island, and others, there are numbers of goats and
pigs. In 1834, the smallest estimate exceeded twelve thou-
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