Keischek. — On the Islands in the South. 383 



This marks the place where the transit of Venus was observed 

 by the Germaii scientists. From here we went to Eoss Island, 

 where numbers of sea-lions were noticed amusing themselves 

 among the tussock. A boat was lowered, and several of us 

 went on shore to drive the clumsy creatures into a group for 

 Mr. Dugald to photograph. It was a most laughable sight. 

 They tried to escape ; but, being stopped by the sailors, 

 squatted on their haunches, moving their heads from side to 

 side, giving discontented growls, and looking at each other 

 with surprise. Some of the males were very large, and had 

 fine manes ; the females are lighter in colour and smaller in 

 size. They were plentiful, and I was sorry at not being 

 allowed to procure some for scientific purposes ; but on account 

 of the close season the Marine Department would not give 

 permission. The fur-seals are very rare and very shy. They 

 inhabit the more exposed places, and are sometimes found in 

 the caves, of which there are many, but usually empty. 



We now steamed round North-west Cape towards the south, 

 passing a most interesting sight — perpendicular cliffs standing 

 boldly out, and appearing as if built of huge blocks of all im- 

 aginable shapes, the sea dashing on them, and sending the 

 spray to a great height. On some of these chffs are waterfalls, 

 the water from w^hich was blown upwards by the force of the 

 wind so as to resemble fountains. From a distance they looked 

 like steam-jets. We sailed inside Disappointment Island — a 

 wild scene. The sea was boiling, breaking over the rocks with 

 tremendous force, and sending the spray in all directions. 

 This is the spot where the " General Grant " is said to have 

 been driven into a cave when wrecked in 1866 ; but we did not 

 see a cave iargj enough for any vessel to go into. 



We now came round the South Cape of Adam's Island — the 

 wandering albatross saihng along with us in hundreds — and 

 called into North Harbour to put up a signboard ; fi-om thence 

 we proceeded to Carnley Harbour, and anchored for the night. 

 On the next day, the 26th January, I landed at 4 a.m., being 

 permitted by the captain to spend the whole day on land. It 

 was a delightful morning : the birds sang, the sea-lions gi'unted 

 and growled at being disturbed so early ; some tried to escape, 

 others just sat on their haunches, showing their white canine 

 teeth, too lazy to leave their lair. My path was at first 

 through thick scrub, then through tussock-grass and over bogs 

 and barren rocks. The birds that I noticed were the bell- 

 bird, the bhght-bu-d, the yellow-breasted tit (Petroeca macro- 

 cephala), the ground-lark, the little parrakeet (Platycercus row- 

 leyi), the banded dotterel, and the native snipe {GaUinaga 

 aucklandica) . (In my account of Port Ross I forgot to mention 

 that I went up a creek, where I saw a number of ducks^ I 

 approached them very carefully, and was within a few yards 



