^"li^S^^"] BASSET HULL, Archlpclaijo of the Recherche. 283 



brothers lo be in readiness to start out for Mondrain Island when 

 the weather moderated. All equipment was got ready for a 

 week's camp out, and at noon on 1st December we started, beat- 

 ing out of the bay against a strong north-easter. In this locality 

 the summer winds are strong north-east in the morning, chang- 

 ing at noon to stronger south-east, with an occasional variation 

 to a south-westerly gale with rain. By nightfall we had reached 

 Cape Gove, under the towering Cape Le Grand, 1150 feet in 

 height, a great rounded mass of almost bare granite. Here we 

 camped for the night under a clump of Christmas Tree topped 

 with a mass of bright orange flowers. In a small bush growing 

 on the beach a White-eye was sitting on three fresh eggs. At 

 daylight on the 2nd we resumed the weary beat against the wind, 

 rounded the cape, and made no less than nine boards to cover a 

 mile between Big and Little Ram Islands. All round us were 

 islands, rocks and reefs, where the white foam spouted up at 

 intervals like great geysers. And it was cold ! A little variety 

 was afforded by an hour's fishing for snook, a fine sport while 

 it lasted, some of the catch being upwards of seven pounds 

 weight. They take a spinning bait trailing out astern. After 

 passing the Ram Islands, which are barely half a mile apart, we 

 took longer boards, and reached Lucky Bay by midday. There 

 we pitched our camp and sunk a well just above high water 

 mark, getting a good supply of water. We then inspected the scrub 

 round the bay, seeing only the usual Honey-eaters, Silver-eyes, 

 etc. A fine pair of Pacific Gulls patrolled the beach, and a few 

 Crows passed over. All the small birds were very shy; a few old 

 nests were found. 



On 3rd November, Wright and I left the bay at 9 a.m. for 

 Mondrain Island, eight miles distant. The wind was fair, the dis- 

 tance being covered in two hours. Landing was difficult, and 

 we both got wet and scratched. The dinghy was hauled up, 

 our tent and boxes landed, and Jones brothers returned to the 

 bay, there being no anchorage at the island. Alondram is the 

 largest and loftiest island in the Archipelago, being about 2\ 

 miles in length, containing about 2000 acres, and having a peak 

 740 feet in height. There is said to be permanent water near 

 the top of the peak, but we did not investigate ! Soon after land- 

 ing we found the Fleshy- footed Petrel in colonies, and about 

 one-third of the burrows inspected contained birds, some with 

 eggs. These colonies extended over large areas, partly open, 

 grassy slopes near the shore leading into the dense scrub of the 

 gullies, where digging out was impossible owing to the depth 

 and the tangled mass of roots and surface debris. We ascended 

 one gully, forcing our way through a thicket of hakeas, paper 

 bark tea-tree, and sword grass, until we reached the granite 

 outcrop, steep, weathered smooth, and as slippery as glass. In 

 the scrub I noted the Singing Honey-eater, the White-eye, and 

 heard a Scrub-Wren {Sericornis), but did not see it. All these 



