283 HISTORY OF 



could hardly make their way through it. Se- 

 veral patches seemed to have f>een burnt many 

 months ago, but the small *brush and creeping 

 vines only were destroyed;' the closeness of the 

 blackened saplings was still*ii resistible. A few 

 starved gum trees erected their heads above the 

 brush- wood, and the whole wore an aspect of 

 poverty. The rocks were composed of quartz, 

 probably a species of granite, but unlike what 

 formed Furneaux's Islands. 



Leaving this place on the 9th, they steeaed 

 for the outermost land in sight, and was distant 

 three or four leagues. After rounding the end 

 of the land under which they had anchored, its 

 shores fell back, and discovered to them it w r as 

 an island of from fifteen to twenty miles miles 

 in circuit, and situated between four and five 

 from the main. It was with the greatest aston- 

 ishment that they recollected the fire places and 

 sea shells which they had the preceding even- 

 ing seen upon the island. This island had bestowed 

 on it the name of the Three Hummock Island. 



During the early part of the morning, some 

 millions of sooty petrels passed the vessel on their 

 way to the westward. 



Having passed within a mile of a pointed part 

 of the main, which in height and vegetation 

 resembled Three Hummock Island, toward* 

 noon they came up with some land, which prov- 

 ed to be a small island, high and steep ; and a 

 long swell, which had just before made its first 

 appearance, broke violently upon it, making a 

 furious surf on all sides. Its summit was 



