NARRATIVE 01 TH1 QBUISE. 269 



bo that visits to Nightingale [aland have of late yean much diminished in frequency 

 The same si ml I tree ;in<l Tussock Gran fun ml mi Tristan and Inaccessible [f lands grow b< 

 and the island is also frequented by the same birds. Wain- was not- so plentiful as on the 

 oilier two islands, and goats have not been Landed, a subject of ranch regret, as they would 

 certainly Sourish. The island was surveyed In a somewhat similar manner to Inaccessible. 



An officer was stationed on the sum mil of Middle Island, who look I lie bearing of the ship 



and her masthead angle, at given signals, viz., when the ship was stationary, sounding 

 ami obtaining observations. The day being fortunately teas cloudy than usual, sights for 

 Longitude, latitude, and true bearings were obtained, and angles to the summits of the 



various salient points on Inaccessible mid Tristan Islands, by which the correct relative 



positions of the three islands of the group With regard to each other were ascertained. 



The observation spot, the summit of Middle Island, was found to be In lat. 87" 25' 50" 8., 

 long. 12" 29' 45" W. 



I'x'iwecn Inaccessible ami Nightingale [elands there is a perfectly safe passage, 10 

 miles in width, in which a sounding of 465 fathoms was obtained by the Challenger; 



ami between Nightingale and Tristan islands there are depths of 1000 fathoms I 



upwards, 



Landing at Nightingale can easily be effected in moderate weather on the rocki a1 



its northeast point; here, as in all the other islands of the group, 8 hell, of kelp prevent 

 the swell from breaking, and the hoal rises and falls alongside the dill's without danger, 

 if care he taken to casta, line over some projecting knobs In prevent the surging had. 

 wards and forwards, which is certain to he experienced in all cases where the gee runs 

 along the side of a dill'. There are no beaches on Nightingale Island, 



The whole of the lower land of the island, and all hut the steepest slopes of the high 

 land and its .c-l ual summits, ;ue covered with a dense growth of Tussock, which oceupie 

 also even the ledges and short slopes lie), ween the hare perpendicular rocks of the I'eak. 

 The, lower ridge is covered with the grass on all except its very summit, where, amongst 

 huge irregularly piled hulllders Of basalt, grOW the same tern,, OS aT6 found on I liaecessible 

 Island, and I'liijlii-n nitiiln trees. The summit of the higher ridge appears to have ; , 

 similar vegetal imi, the Tussock ceasing there. In the sea of tall grass, clothing the wide 

 main valley of the island on its south side, are patches of Ph/ylica trees, growing in many 

 places thickly together as at I naccessihle Island, with a similar vegetation devoid of 

 Tussock beneath them. The appearance of I he tall grass, when seen from a distance, 

 i inn, I deceptive; as the island was viewed from the deck of the ship about a quarter 

 of a mile oil', a green coal ing of grass was seen, coming everywhere down to I he verge of the 

 wave-wash on the rocks, and stretching up comparatively easy looking slopes towards the 

 peaks. The grass gave no i In pre :, ion of its height and impend ra bility. Oil eh, 

 inspection, however, the teal stale of the oase might he inferred, for there was plainly 

 visible a dark sinuous line leading from the sea right inland through the thickest of the 



