448 ME. O. SALVIN ON THE AVIFAUNA 



James, Indefatigable, and Chatham, are the next in point of dimensions; Charles, 

 Hood, Bindloe, and Abingdon make up the nine chief islands of the archipelago. 

 Barrino-ton, Tower, Duncan, and Jervis are small, unimportant islands ; whilst the two 

 northernmost, Wenman and Culpepper, are little more than isolated rocks. The 

 hio-hest mountain in Albemarle reaches 4700 feet ; and in most of the other islands the 

 mountains attain a height of from 1000 to 1700 feet. The whole of the group is of 

 volcanic origin; and some of the islands present surfaces little else than masses of 

 scoriEe and vast fields of lava. The most ancient signs of volcanic action are to be 

 found in the more eastern islands of the group, whilst the western are still the scene of 

 occasional outbursts of volcanic energy. Narborough, the most western island of all, 

 is frequently in a state of violent eruption, the island itself being little more than 

 one vast furnace, from which lava has issued over the entire surface. Mr. Darwin 

 estimates that in the whole archipelago there are as many as 2000 craters. Travellers 

 within the last century speak of having observed various eruptions on the westernmost 

 islands. 



Delano witnessed an outbreak of one of the volcanos of Albemarle in 1800, and 

 speaks of another which occurred in 1797. Captain Porter describes an eruption 

 which took place on the same island on the 6th June, 1813. He also says that on his 

 return to the islands after a visit to the continent, he remarked great changes on the 

 south side of Narborough and the southern part of Albemarle, and observed four 

 craters smoking on the former island and one on the latter. He also remarks that a 

 volcano burst out with great fury a few hours after he left Charles Island. Captain 

 Morrell, when anchored in Tagus Cove in 1825, between Narborough and Albemarle, 

 witnessed a terrific eruption from Narborough. He was obliged to run from his 

 anchorage and make his way southward, the temperature of the air being sometimes as 

 high as 147°, that of the water 150° from the molten lava flowing into it ! During the 

 short visit of Lord Byron in H.M.S. 'Blonde,' in 1825, one of the volcanos of Albe- 

 marle was observed to be in eruption; and Captain Fitz-Roy states that the south- 



however, not be out of place to say a word respecting the diiFerent names which have been applied to some of 

 the islands of the group. 



The original Spanish name for the Archipelago is so apt that no other seems ever to have been suggested for 

 it. The Spaniards also bestowed names on the particular islands ; but they have never become established or 

 even recognized, except Bedonda Rock. The names applied by Captain Cowley in 1684 are those by which 

 they are chiefly known ; and most of them have been adopted in the Admiralty chart. Thus Narborough Island, 

 Albemarle, James, Bindloe, Abingdon, Wenman, and Culpepper have all been recognized from Cowley's map. 

 Norfolk Island of Cowley is, I have no doubt, Indefatigable Island of the present day, Porter's Island being 

 another name for it. The Charles Island of Cowley is probably the same as Chatham Island of Colnett, not 

 the Charles Island of the chart, and is perhaps the Santa Maria de la Aguada of the Spaniards. Cowley's 

 Eures Island is probably Tower Island ; Cowley's Grossman's Island and Brattle's Island are perhaps Hood 

 and Charles Islands, though these names have been applied to two clusters of rocks off the south-eastern shore 

 of Albemarle. Dean's Island may be Duncan Island of Colnett, Downes Island of Porter. 



