172 DISCOVERY REPORTS 



grey rock. The dykes run obliquely, vertically and sometimes horizontally, and not in- 

 frequently they cross one another. They are evidently of much harder rock than the 

 remainder, for they often stand out as ribs from the cliff surface, and it is they that form 

 all the projecting points on the magnificent saw-edge at Crosscut Point (Plate XVII, 

 fig. 4). At Rocky Point and to the west of it the foreshore is composed of basaltic lava, 

 in one place with some green staining, and the outlying Castor and Pollux Rocks (Fig. 

 13 i,j) are also of basalt. 



On the reef which runs north-eastward from Low Point are two large rocks : Cook 

 Rock and Trousers Rock (Plate XVII, fig. 2; Figs. 9c; 13^). Both of these form arches, 

 the tunnel through the latter running north and south, and through the former east and 

 west. Both show horizontal strata of red tuff and dark grey rock. Other conspicuous 

 rocks lie north-north-west from Crosscut Point: Saw Rock 4 cables ofi"shore (Fig. 13 ^) 

 and Santa Rock (Fig. 13 d, e,f) at a distance of i| miles. Buddha Rock (Fig. 13 c) is 

 to the west, rather less than 3 cables from the shore. 



Since even the existence of this island has hitherto been in doubt, there is naturally 

 no record of any landing. We made three attempts : on the beach at the foot of the cliffs, 

 on the north-western side, and on each side of Rocky Point ; but owing to the high swell 

 all failed. 



Saunders Island 



Lat. 57" 47' S ; long. 26° 26!' W 



(Plates XIX, XX and XXI; Fig. 14) 



This island is roughly crescentic in outline, with a large bay, Cordelia Bay,^ in the 

 east. Its length in a north and south direction is 5 miles, and its breadth, measured east 

 and west, is 5I miles. The circumference is about 17 miles. 



Offshore on the northern side of Cordelia Bay are several rocks. The highest are the 

 Brothers Rocks, 70 ft. above sea-level; they lie at the meeting point of three reefs, with 

 foul ground and breaking water, which completely close the northern entrance to the 

 bay. In the southern part of the bay, close inshore and to the west of the rocks near 

 Nattriss Point,^ there is a good anchorage in 13 to 14 fathoms, protected from the north- 

 west, through south to south-east. With north-east winds a vessel would find no 

 shelter, and would have to shift to the southern side of the island and lie-to in deep water. 

 To the north of the anchorage our soundings indicate the existence of a closed basin 

 with depths of 50 to 62 fathoms ; outside the reefs there is a large area of shoal water with 

 less than 20 fathoms, but elsewhere all round the island the bottom shelves steeply. 



In its topography and geology the island is one of the most interesting in the group. 

 The whole of the northern promontory, ending in Harper Point^, is a low plateau. 

 In the middle of the island is the glaciated cone of Mt Michael,'' 2640 ft. above sea-level 

 and actively volcanic, while the south-eastern corner is composed of bare hills in which 

 extinct craters are to be seen (Plate XXI, fig. i). 



1 Cordelia A. Carey. " E. A. Nattriss, Crown Agents for the Colonies. 



F. H. Harper, Secretary, Discovery Committee. * Michael J. de C. Carey. 



3 



