1776- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 137 



assistance of our best glasses, either tree or shrub on 

 either of them. They seemed to have a rocky and 

 bold shore; and, excepting the south-east parts, where 

 the land is rather low and flat, a surface composed 

 of barren mountains, which rise to a considerable 

 height, and whose summits and sides were covered 

 with snow, which in many places seemed to be of a 

 considerable depth. The south-east parts had a 

 much greater quantity on them than the rest ; owing 

 probably, to the sun acting for a less space of time 

 on these than on the north and north-west parts. 

 The ground, where it was not hid by the snow, from 

 the various shades it exhibited, may be supposed to 

 be covered with moss, or, perhaps, such a coarse 

 grass as is found in some parts of Falkland's Islands. 

 On the north side of each of the islands is a detached 

 rock : that near the south island is shaped like a 

 tower, and seemed to be at some distance from the 

 shore. As we passed along, a quantity of sea-weed 

 was seen, and the colour of the water indicated 

 soundings. But there was no appearance of an 

 inlet, unless near the rock just mentioned ; and that, 

 from its smallness, did not promise a good anchoring- 

 place. 



These two islands, as also four others which lie 

 from nine to twelve degrees of longitude more to the 

 east, and nearly in the same latitude, were discover- 

 ed, as I have mentioned in my late voyage*, by 

 Captains Marion du Fresne, and Crozet, French na- 

 vigators, in January 1772, on their passage in two 

 ships from the Cape of Good Hope to the Philippine 

 Islands. As they have no names in the French chart 

 of the southern hemisphere, which Captain Crozet 

 communicated to me in 177<5t, I shall distinguish 



* See Vol. IV. p. 24-3. These islands are there said to be in 

 the latitude of 48 S., that is, two degrees farther south, than 

 what here appears to be their real position. 



f See Vol. IV. as above. Dr. Forster, in his observations made 

 during that voyage, p. 30* 3 gives us this description of the chart 



