i62 DISCOVERY REPORTS 



height, formed of cohimnar basaU, joined to the main portion of the island a httle above 

 sea-level (Plate XV, fig. i. Figs. 6 a, b). The cliffs all round the southern and western 

 sides are formed of rugged flows of basaltic lava, in the south inclining towards the 

 water at an angle of 45° but gradually becoming vertical towards the west. In the north- 

 west the cliflFs reach a height of 170 ft. and here the rock is columnar in structure and 

 forms three high caverns of no great depth (Fig. 6 c). The rock walls of Crater Bay are 

 for the most part reddish and yellowish in colour, apparently consisting of tufl^, but 

 much contorted and not showing any definite stratification. 



Owing no doubt to the unsuitable character of its shores Leskov is not inhabited by 

 penguins: the only birds seen round the island were Cape pigeons. Whale birds and 

 Wilson petrels. Larsen, in November, found thousands of Snow petrels (Pagodroma 

 nivea) and Cape pigeons nesting on the island. Two small patches of green vegetation 

 were noted and the basalt rocks at many points are rather thickly grown with lichen. 



The only place on the island where a landing could be attempted is in the small bay 

 to the west of the conical rock at the south-east corner. Filchner remarks that this might 

 be possible in very fine weather, but we consider it doubtful. Larsen attempted to land, 

 but failed, and there is no record of anyone having succeeded. 



VisoKoi Island 



Lat. 56° 42i-' S, long. 27° ii|' W 

 (Plates XIV and XV, figs. 2, 3 ; Figs. 7, 8) 



This island is \\ miles long in an east and west direction, 3 J miles wide, and nearly 

 12 miles in circumference. It is egg-shaped, with Penguin Point projecting at the east, 

 and with promontories in the north at Finger Point, in the south at Low Point and in 

 the south-west at Wordie Point. ^ Off the coast there are a number of rocks, but all lie 

 close to the shore. The largest is Coffin Rock to the east of Finger Point, and the most 

 conspicuous is a pinnacle rock on the north-west side. There are possible anchorages on 

 the eastern side of the island either north or south of Penguin Point ; but as at Zavodovski 

 the swell carries round and no good protection is afforded. 



From most points of view the island forms a high rounded mass with very steep coast- 

 line (Fig. 7). The summit has been named Mt Hodson'- ; except for brief intervals it was 

 obscured by cloud or steam^ while the survey was in progress, and an accurate measure- 

 ment of its height could not be obtained : it is possible that it exceeds Mt Belinda on 

 Montagu Island, and is thus the highest in the group. 



Fanning, in his account of Brown's voyage in 1830, describes Visokoi (under the name 

 of Willey's Island) as "a burning mountain with smoke issuing in different places"; 

 Larsen in 1908 speaks of it as " this extinct island ", while Hansen in 1927 and Hamilton 

 in 1927-8 noted that it was active. Owing to the cloud cap we were at first in some 

 doubt as to its volcanic activity ; for though a strong fumarole was seen on the northern 



1 J. M. Wordie, member of the Discovery Committee. 



2 Arnold Hodson, C.M.G., Governor of the Falkland Islands. ^ Omitted in Fig. 7. 



