Eeischek. — On tJie Islands in the South. 385 



very hilly, and the faces of the hills are often dotted over with 

 precipices. The greatest height is 1,866ft. There is plenty 

 of fresh water. We anchored in Preservation Inlet, and were 

 stormbound there. So strongly did it blow that Mr. Neil, 

 the chief officer, who was a kind supporter of mine, on going 

 out in a boat to get some birds that I had shot from the vessel, 

 which had two anchors out, was twice blown away from the 

 vessel by the force of the wind. The higher hills were all 

 snow-clad, and it was bitterly cold, westerly squalls, accom- 

 panied by hail, frequently' passing over. We divided into two 

 parties — one went up Mount Honey, the other Mount Beema,n. 

 I went up the cliffs in search of the sooty albatross, several of 

 which were flying about ; but as soon as I had shot one the 

 others disappeared. It breeds in the recesses of the cliffs, and 

 is very difficult to get at. It is not so common on these 

 islands as the wandering albatross ; but is certainly the 

 prettiest of the family. The only true land-bird noticed by my- 

 self on the island was the blight-bird, which is common every- 

 wdiere. When the Austrian frigate " Saida" was five hundred 

 miles from New Zealand a flock of these little birds came on 

 board. Herr Eitter von Wolf, the flag-lieutenant, wrote me 

 that they were seen sitting on the rigging, and several were 

 procured. I was informed that the tui and a wingless duck 

 inhabit the island ; but I did not see any. Wandering alba- 

 trosses were plentiful, sitting on a single egg, nearly hatched. 

 On the cliffs exposed to the ocean thousands of molly-mawks 

 (Diomedea melanophrys and D, chlororkyncha) were breeding. 

 In the water numbers of nellies were swimming about with their 

 full-grown young, which are of a beautiful dark-slate colour. 

 One of the young birds which I saw on shore, when I ap- 

 proached it, walked to meet me, opened its bill, and disgorged 

 a mass of oily matter over me, as if poured from a spout. Its 

 smell was so bad that I had to throw away the clothes I had 

 on. I caught some of the young birds and brought them alive 

 to Wellington ; but when I looked for them there I was told 

 by the sailors that they had gone overboard. Cape pigeons 

 were very numerous, and plenty of magellanic shags were 

 fishing with their young. The depot at Fuller's Point was 

 supplied with necessaries, some sheep and goats were landed, 

 trees planted, and seeds sown ; then we steamed round the 

 island, examining every cove, and sounding as we went along. 

 At North-west Bay there is a remarkable rock, which at a 

 distance looks like a full-rigged ship, but nearer at hand re- 

 sembles a statue. Sea-lions were very plentiful and very 

 large, but of fur-seals I only saw one. Storms are of almost 

 daily occurrence in these waters, and we rode out one in 

 North-east Bay. On the 31st we left Campbell Island for 

 Antipodes Islands. 



