382
F ‘ 795- wellern extremity of the land then in fight, which had been named Cape
---- Y Berkeley. The part of the ifland we were now oppofite to, and that
which we were near to the preceding evening forming its north-weftern
fide, either (hoots out into long, low black points, or terminates in abrupt
cliffs of no great height, without any appearance of affording anchorage
or fhelter for (hipping. The furf broke on every part of the fhores with
much violence, and the country wore a very dreary defolate afpect, being
deftitute of wood, and nearly fo of verdure to a confiderable difta'nce
from the fea fide, until near the fummit of the mountains, and particularly
on that which formed nearly the north-weftern part of the ifland;
where vegetation, though in no very flourifliing ftate, hadexiftence.
, The obferved latitude at noon, being then within 4 or 5 miles of its
fhores, was 7-V north, the longitude 268° ag§'; in which fituation the
fteep flat rock, called Rodondo rock, bore by compafs N. 26 w .; the
eafternmoft part of the ifland now in light, N . 78 e . , and cape Berkeley
in a line with more diftant land, fuppofed by us to' be another ifland,
fouth. As we advanced, the regular round mountain affumed a more
peaked fhape, and defcending with fome inequalities, terminated at the
north-weft extremity in a low barren rocky point, fituated according to
our obfervadons in latitude 2' north, 268° go' eaft. From it the fteep
> flat rock lies n . 2 w . , diftant 12 miles ; and the fhores of. the north-weft
fide of the ifland,.fo far as we traced them, took a direftion about n . 50 e .
fixteen miles; the wind for the moft part of the day continued light and
variable between the weft and s. w., but with the help of the current
which ftill continued to' run in our favour, we palled in the afternoon to
the fouth of cape Berkeley, from whence the fhores to the fouthward of
that point take a rounding turn-to the eaftward, and fhoot out into low;
rocky points. The interior country exhibited the moft fhattered, broken,
and confufed landfcap'e I ever beheld, feemingly as if formed of the
mouths of innumerable craters of various heights and- different fizes.
This opinion was confirmed about five in the afternoon on the return of
Mr. Whidbey and his party, from. whom I underftood, that about 2
leagues to the eaft fouth-eaftward of cape Berkeley, a bay had been
difcovered round a very remarkable hummock, which feemed likely tq
afford
afford tolerably good anchorage and fhelter from the prevailing winds;
but as Mr. Whidbey had little time to fpare, and as the fhores afforded ----- -,----
neither fuel nor frefh water, he was not very particular in this examination,
but endeavoured to gain fome knowledge concerning the general
produftions of the country. During the fhort time the gentlemen were fo
employed on fhore, thofe remaining in the boat, with only two hooks and
lines, nearly loaded her with exceedingly fine fifli, fufficient for ourfelves,
and fome to fpare for the Chatham. Our opinion, that this part of the
ifland had been greatly fubjeft to volcanic eruptions, appeared by this
vifit to have been well founded; fince it fhould feem, that it is either
indebted for its-elevation above the furface of the ocean to volcanic
powers, or that at. no very remote period it had been fo profufely
covered with volcanic matter, as to render its furface incapable of more
than the bare exiftence of vegetables'; as a few only were found to be
produced in the ehafms or broken furface- of the lava, of which the fub-
ftratum of-the whole ifland feemed to be compofed. Inftead of the different
fpecies of turtles which are generally found in the tropical, or
equatorial regions, thefe fhores, however Angular it may feem, abounded'
with that defcription of thofe animals which are ufually met with in the
temperate zones, bordering on the arftic and antarftic circles : thepenguin
and feals alfo, fome of which latter I underftood were of that
tribe which are confidered to be of the fur kind, were feen, as likewife-
fome guanas and fnakes; thefe, together with a few birds, of which iii-
. point of number the dove bore the greateft proportion, were what appeared
principally to compqfe the inhabitants of this ifland; with-
which, from its very uncommon appearance, I was very-defirous to have
become better acquainted; but we had now no time to fpare for fuch an
inquiry, nor fhould I indeed have been able perfonally to have indulged
my curiofity, as I ftill continued to labour under a very indifferent ftate
of health, which in feveral other inftances had deprived me of fimilar
gratifications.'
At fum-fet the fteep flat rock bore-by compafs N . 5 w., and the land in
fight from N. 56 w. to s . g i . ; the former, being the north-weft point of
the ifland, and the latter, the land that was ftated at noon to be in a line
with