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



of getting into the parallel of Heard Island and then steering east. At 10 a.m. the fog 

 lifted and an observation was obtained. The weather remained fine during the afternoon, 

 and the evening was quite bright and clear, which enabled the men to dry their wet 

 clothes, the ship's sails, and decks. Unfortunately the wind was very light, so that the 

 vessel was unable to make much progress towards the island under sail, and coal could 

 not be afforded for steaming. At 3 p.m. no bottom was obtained at 120 fathoms, nor at 

 1 1 p.m. at 1 30 fathoms. During the afternoon the ship was surrounded by Penguins, 

 uttering their discordant cry. 



On the 5th, at 3.30 a.m. (daylight), sail was again made to the southward; but 

 unfortunately, at 7 a.m., the weather became as thick as ever. As at this time the ship 

 was on the supposed parallel of Heard Island, Captain Nares stood on to get to the south- 

 ward of it before "laying to" again, trying for soundings at 7.30 a.m. with 200 fathoms 

 of line, and at noon with 300 fathoms without success. At noon sail was shortened 

 and the ship brought to the wind. At 1.30 p.m. the mist and drizzle broke slightly, 

 and what was thought to be land was seen in an E. by S. direction. Towards evening 

 the breeze died away, and at 9 p.m. a westerly wind sprang up, which freshened to a 

 moderate gale by midnight, but also fortunately dispelled the fog. 



On the 6th, at 3.40 a.m., the vessel bore up for the supposed position of Heard 

 Island, the weather fairly clear with a westerly gale blowing. At 6 A.M., just as observa- 

 tions were being obtained, the M c Donald Islands were seen through the mist bearing 

 east, distant about 13 miles. A course was immediately shaped to pass round their 

 northern side, in fact to circumnavigate them as nearly as the direction of the wind 

 permitted ; and the horizon being clear and the sun breaking frequently through the 

 clouds, it was possible to fix their position accurately, as, besides other observations, a 

 longitude was obtained when they bore south, and a latitude when they bore west, and 

 the islands are so small that little beyond this was required. 



M c Donald Islands. 



The M c Donald Islands, 24 miles west of Cape Laurens, the northwest extremity of 

 Heard Island, consist of two small islands, N. by E. and S. by W. (true) from each other, 

 and an outlying sugar-loaf rock named Meyer's Rock, 1 mile N. 50° W. (true), from their 

 north extremity ; the islands are very small, and appear to be inaccessible. They were 

 discovered by Captain M c Donald of the British ship " Samarang," in January 1854. 

 Captain M c Donald also sighted Heard Island, but as it had been originally seen by the 

 " Oriental," it bears the name of her captain. 



Meyer's Rock, 450 feet high, is in lat. 53° V 20" S., long. 72° 30' 30" E.; the highest 

 part of the M c Donald Islands is a saddle hill, 630 feet high, the two peaks of which are 

 in line on a north and south bearing. The channel between the two M c Donald Islands 



