418 111STOKY AND MBTHJDS OF THE FISHERIES. 



There was much jealousy and rivalry among the sealers iu early years, aud whenever a uew 

 rookery was discovered every effort was made to keep the location a secret as long as possible. 

 When Captain Fanning found the Crozets and saw abundance of seals there lie returned to Prince 

 Edward Land, where part of his crew had been left, and made preparations to return to the uew land 

 for a cargo of skins. Other sealing vessels were at Prince Edward Land, and that they might no 

 suspect Captain Fanuiug's discovery he waited a few days before sailing. Before leaving home. 

 he had received instructions to deposit on Prince Edward Land a record of the location of the 

 Crozets if he succeeded in rediscovering them. This record would be used by other sealing ves- 

 sels sent out by the same firm. Captain Fanning therefore buried a record giving the desired 

 information, and erected a pile of stones near the spot, though sufficiently distant to deceive stran- 

 gers. He had been particularly instructed to erect this pile of stone 30 feet northeast of the spot 

 where he planted the record. Vain efforts were made by the crews of the other sealing vessels at 

 the island to find Captain Fanniug's record. They removed the pile of stones aud dug a great 

 hole, but found nothing. Not long after this the ship for which the record was intended arrived 

 there, aud very easily found the papers and proceeded to the Crozets where Captain Fanning, 

 after procuring a full cargo, had left a sealing crew to await the coming of this vessel. 



DESOLATION ISLAND. 



Kerguelen or Desolation Island and Heard's Island have been the principal hunting grounds 

 for the sea-elephant. From these two islands during the last forty years American sealing vessels 

 have brought home about 175,000 barrels of sea-elephant oil and a considerable number of fur-seal 

 skins. The sea-elephant had been taken by whalers for a number of years before vessels specially 

 fitted for this work were sent out. The headquarters for this business was New London, Conn., 

 which place has continued until the present year to send vessels there. 



The fishery at Desolation was begun in earnest by Americans in 1837. Prior to that date 

 English vessels had taken quantities of the oil of that seal, but Americans had not taken an active 

 part in the business. 



At Heard's Island the fishing began in 1854. The two islands were usually worked together, 

 Desolation in the colder months and Heard's Island for a brief period in the Antarctic summer. 



The islands are about 300 miles apart, in the Southern Indian Ocean. Kerguelen Land 

 extends from latitude 48 39' to 49 44' south and from longitude 70 35' to 68 42' east. Heard's 

 Island lies to the south and east of Kerguelen, in latitude 53 10' south and longitude 73 30' 

 east. Some 25 miles to the westward of Heard's Island lies McDonald Island, upon which seals 

 are said to congregate in considerable numbers, but the shores are so precipitous that boats cannot 

 land. 



Kerguelen Land was discovered in 1772, by M. de Kergnelen,a French navigator. He mis- 

 took it for a southern continent, and so reported it to his Government. A further examination was 

 made in 1773, and the mistake discovered. About 1776 Captain Cook visited the islands, but con- 

 sidered them of such little importance that he named the principal one of the group the " Island of 

 Desolation." The safe and commodious harbors of the island were favorite resorts for whaling 

 vessels cruising in that ocean iu the early part of the present century. The greatest length of the 

 island is 85 miles and the greatest breath 79 miles. Its area is about 2,050 square miles. There are 

 numerous sharp mountain peaks, and Mount Eoss, the principal peak, is 6,120 feet high. The coast 

 is indented by many deep bays and inlets, making the shore much like that of Norway in general 

 appearance. "The general aspect of the island," says Dr. Kidder, "is desolate in the extreme. 

 Snow covers all of the higher hills, against which the abrupt outlines of their dark basaltic ridges 



