334 Voyage of tlie Novara. 



the most prominent peaks of the island, and the outline of the 

 shore. The results of these gave the following : latitude 37° 

 58' 30'' S. ; longitude, 77° 34' 44" E. of Greenwich ; elevation 

 of the highest summit (nearly corresponding with previous 

 observations), 2891 English feet; of the second highest, 2651 

 feet ; the length of the South coast, as measured from the 

 frigate, 32,359 feet ; of the Western shore, 5507 feet. 



There was still some faint hope that we might visit the island 

 next day. However, during the night the wind sprung up, the 

 weather became variable, and we saw ourselves compelled 

 to renounce our cherished desire to investigate the island 

 thoroughly, the rather that, owing to the unpropitious weather 

 during the last few weeks, the stay of the Novara in these 

 latitudes had been prolonged so considerably beyond the period 

 fixed, that no more time could be spared, if it were desirous to 

 avoid sacrificing the objects of the Expedition with reference to 

 other and more important departments of scientific enquiry, 

 by engaging in them at a season in all probability highly 

 unfavourable for the purpose. 



Consequently our observations in Amsterdam remained 

 most imperfect ; although the geologist of the expedition was 

 enabled to clear up the uncertainty hitherto prevailing as to the 

 geological structure of the island, and to determine upon 

 scientific data, that Amsterdam is an extinct volcanic cone, of 

 precisely the same character, and belonging to the same order 

 of volcanic formation as the sister island of St. Paul ; that it 

 probably contains on itself all the usual indications of its 



