KERGUELEN AND VAN DIEMEN'S LAND 195 



again. He waited for a more promising lift, 

 and soon the weather cleared and Cook saw land 

 which he rightly supposed to be the land dis- 

 covered by Kerguelen. He sailed along the 

 southern coast, and discovered a safe and well- 

 sheltered harbour, where he cast anchor on 

 December 25th, Christmas Day, for which rea- 

 son he called the harbour Christmas Harbour. 

 He immediately lowered the boats and landed 

 on the island to examine the facilities which were 

 to be found there. Except for water, which ran 

 plentifully in numberless little streams, there 

 were no facilities. The interior of the island, 

 which was absolutely barren, presented the 

 wildest and saddest aspect imaginable. "Perhaps 

 this is the same that Monsieur de Kerguelen 

 called the Isle of Rendezvous; but I know noth- 

 ing that can rendezvous at it, but fowls of the 

 air; for it is certainly inaccessible to every 

 other animal." 



The only riches to be found on the island were 

 animal riches. The shore was covered with 

 seals, penguins and albatrosses. The first, which 

 were not accustomed to the gentle society of men, 

 allowed themselves to be massacred without 

 evincing the least fear or the least symptom of 

 resistance. The Englishmen slaughtered great 

 numbers of them, for the fat was of very great 

 value. 



