318 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 



only the coast and breakers were visible. The ship ran along the western shore to the 

 southward, and obtained a sounding of 105 fathoms 5 miles from the land. At 5 p.m. 

 Penguin Island was seen through the mist, and at 6 p.m. sail was shortened to double- 

 reefed topsails, and the vessel hauled to the wind on the starboard tack for the night. 

 At 7 p.m. a dense fog surrounded the ship so that one could see only a few yards. 



On the 1st January 1874 the fog still continued over the water, although overhead the 

 sky was clear. Observations were obtained, but the horizon was badly defined, so that they 

 could not be implicitly relied on. At 3 p.m. a sounding was obtained in 600 fathoms, 

 and shortly afterwards the fog lifted and Penguin Island was observed bearing N. by E., 

 but only for a few minutes. At this time the wind, which during the day had been light 

 and variable, shifted to E.S.E. and gradually freshened to a royal breeze accompanied 

 by rain. At 5 P.M. the ship tacked and stood to the southward, off the land, under 

 single-reefed topsails, the weather being thick and rainy (see Sheet 20). The observations 

 this day placed Penguin Island 5 miles N.W. by N. of the position assigned it by Captain 

 Cecille; these observations have been subsequently confirmed by H.M.S. " Wolverene." 



On the 2nd January at 2 a.m. the wind shifted to W.S. W. through south, and freshened 

 to a moderate gale, the weather still continuing foggy. At 7 a.m. the wind began to 

 moderate, and the vessel bore up for Possession Island. At noon the weather though 

 misty was fine and the wind light. At this time a sight was caught of the high peaks of 

 Possession Island, for a few minutes, over the mist which completely enshrouded the lower 

 parts of the island ; at 3.30 p.m. they were seen again, and more clearly ; they were sharp, 

 and, contrary to expectation, were found to be quite free from snow. Their height was 

 estimated to be about 5000 feet, but it was impossible to obtain angular measurements 

 owing to the fog. 1 At 4 p.m. the breakers were seen against the weather shore 

 of Possession Island, and a few minutes afterwards the coast of the island itself became 

 visible through the mist. The ship was steered to pass round its south side, and 

 it was noticed as the island was rounded that the sun was shining on the lee 

 side of the land, the weather side only being covered with fog. At 6 pm. three 

 points on the S.W. side of the island were in line N. 9° W., and the southwest 

 point bore N. 70° E. From this position 3 miles from the shore the details of the 

 coast could be clearly distinguished through the mist, especially the waterfalls, which 

 were very numerous. After rounding the southwest point the vessel passed completely 

 out of the fog, which formed a dense bank behind, whilst ahead was another dense 

 bank coming round the northeast side of the island. To the eastward the peaks of East 

 Island were visible over the mist, which completely obscured its lower parts (fig. 128) ; 

 some snow was observed in the crevices of these rugged eminences. At 7 p.m. the ship 

 stopped off the cove on the southeast coast of Possession Island, and a hut and some boats 



1 This estimate may be considerably in error ; for when the lower parts of the land are shrouded in mist it is 

 extremely difficult to estimate heights. 



