Steer for Auckland. 91 



delicious weather and with every stitch of canvas set, swiftly 

 careering towards our next goal, New Zealand. 



On the 9th at 5 p.m. we buried the corpse of one of the 

 gunners, who had died the same morning of dysentery, the 

 remains being committed to the deep with the customary 

 ceremonies and marks of respect. 



On the morning of the 19 th we sighted Barrier Island off 

 Cape Butt, distant 35 miles. The more we neared the land, 

 the more balmy did the atmosphere become. Innumerable 

 Albatrosses and Procellarice swarmed around us, and the re- 

 sult of half an hour's shooting from a small boat dropped 

 over the side for the purpose, resulted in our securing eleven 

 different species of storm-birds. A whale about 50 feet in 

 length also came close under our quarter, and only retreated 

 after he had been repeatedly fired upon and had received a 

 number of balls in his carcase. 



We steered for the South Point of Barrier Island, the out- 

 line of which is very beautiful, relieved as it is by two hills, 

 of which that to the south is about 2000 feet in height, run- 

 ning up into a sharp peak, while the more northerly rises 

 gradually, being only precipitous on the northern face. The 

 broken conical rocks which ascend out of the sea near the 

 northern point of the island unmistakeably indicate their 

 volcanic origin. 



Our arrival off New Zealand was signalized by most un- 

 usual calms, which indeed materially delayed om' entrance 

 into Huraka Gulf, a sort of lateral bay, entering from the har- 



