Off St. Paul Island. 265 



island, and ranged along the eastern side to the selected 

 anchoring ground. As we doubled the northernmost point, the 

 conical-shaped Nine-Pin Rock came into view, while the high 

 and precipitous margin of the island in the N.E. with the 

 entrance into the crater became visible. How great, however, 

 was our astonishment, when we observed some neatly laid- 

 out terraces, of a fresher green hue than were observed in 

 the upper table-lands of the island! These were evidently 

 spots cultivated by former or present residents in the island. 

 But no traces of habitation were seen, whether of man- 

 kind or of the seal. Only flights of albatrosses, bryons, 

 ospreys, and sea-swallows, with now and then the protracted 

 screams (like human groans) of immense flights of pen- 

 guins, those singular-looking sea-birds, which awaken so deep 

 an interest alike for their striking appearance as by their mode 

 of life. 



An examination of the rock of the island showed layers of 

 black lava, alternating with yellow and red tufa, which seemed 

 stratified regularly from the rim of the crater to the extreme 

 circumference of the island. " Thirty fathoms, and no bot- 

 tom," sung the wearied leadsman ; and presently, *' Thirty 

 fathoms," — and a few minutes before 9 a.m. the anchor rattled 

 out, on the 24th day after we left Simon's Bay, after retracing 

 our steps Eastward some 3000 miles. Our anchorage, as 

 we afterwards became aware, was not the best possible, as we 

 ouo-ht to have lain closer in to the island. But when one 



o 



