OF THE ANTARCTIC VOYAGE. 257 
leeward of the island, that it would have required too long a 
time to beat back; thus landing was rendered impracticable. 
Early on the 26th, after encountering some very severe 
weather, the westernmost of the Crozet group was descried, 
and on the lst of May they hove-to at Possession Island; 
but the wind was too strong (it must be remembered that the 
season was mid-winter in these latitudes) to allow of the 
attempt being made without danger of the ships being blown 
off, and having to beat up again, which must have occasioned 
many days’ delay. The Island, indeed, seemed perfectly 
barren of aught but a few coarse tufts of grass, and a moss-like 
substance that clothed the rocks and vallies—all was volcanic. 
On the 6th of May, the long-wished for Island of Desola- 
tion, or Kerguelen’s Island, was descried, and the ships first 
made Bligh's Cap, to the westward of it; but the weather be- 
came so thick that it was necessary to keep off from the direc- 
tion of the land, for evening was approaching. On the 8th, 
they were blown eighteen miles to leeward of Christmas 
Harbour; but before night, they retraced their way, and 
hove-to off the mouth ; when again, heavy gales coming on 
drifted them in two days, one hundred and fifty miles from 
the desired haven, and the 12th of May arrived ere they 
found themselves at anchor in the outer bay of this singular 
harbour, whence they had to warp up the head of it. A 
faithful representation of one side of the scene around them, 
which was most remarkable, is given in Cook’s third voyage. ae 
_ The outer basin is about two miles in diameter, bounded by — 
lofty cliffs of black rock, from which the land rises in sueces- 
Sive ledges, till it terminates in table-topped or peaked moun- 
tains, 1,500 to 2,000 feet high; and the effect of this was 
the more remarkable, from the nearly equal distribution of 
Tock, Snow, and vegetation. “ Often as I have sate,” says 
the botanist, “on the summit of the cliffs which hem in this 
iron-bound bay, it was impossible to grow tired of watching | 
. the fearful surf, continually roaring and lashing against a mile - 
of precipices, surmounted by high, snow-capped mountéipés a E | 
Whenever a gale blows from the south-west, which is couse 
