April 1830. DEER—RIVER—LAGOON. 355 
glacier on the western side. In returning we saw some deer on 
the eastern shore of the low land, between the islands of the 
second reach, but could not get within gun-shot : they appeared 
to be of a dark colour, and fully as large as a guanaco. Some 
of our men thought they could distinguish small straight horns, 
but I could not myself see them.(d) I endeavoured to cross the 
isthmus, where Lieutenant Skyring had seen water from Focus 
Island, near Easter Bay, and first attempted it by the course 
of a fresh water river, at the head of the bay; but I found the 
country:so thickly covered with stunted wood, about eight feet 
high, and exceedingly prickly, that I lost my way twice, and 
returned to the shore ; I tried again however, about half a mile 
more to the eastward, and at last got to a high part of the 
land. When there, and mounted on another man’s shoulders, 
I could scarcely see above the trees (which, at the roots, were 
not thicker than a man’s wrist): there was evidently a large 
expanse of water, but I could not distinguish much of it. I 
think it probable that it is fresh, as the river, fifty yards wide, 
is rapid, and appears to run out of it. There is not any high 
land in the neighbourhood, whence such a run of fresh water 
could be supplied. 
«© <«T saw numbers of deer tracks about this place, and the 
boat’s crew observed three deer similar to those above-men- 
tioned.’—(Kirke MS.) 
“ We weighed on the 22d, and towed out of Easter Bay, 
with the hope of repassing Kirke Narrow ; but shortly after- 
wards so dense a fog arose, that we could distinguish no land, 
and were unable to profit by the advantage of a light fair wind, 
with otherwise favourable weather. In the afternoon, when it 
cleared up a little, we anchored in Fog Bay, on the west side 
of the channel, about three miles from Kirke Narrow. 
(d) Mr. Kirke was rather short-sighted, and therefore unable to dis- 
cern distant objects clearly. From the natives of Ponsonby land, be- 
_ tween the Otway and Skyring Waters, I procured, and gave to Captain 
King, some short straight horns, and parts of the skins of animals, which 
were probably deer of the kind seen by Mr. Kirke, and, since that time, 
by Mr. Low, when he followed my track into the Skyring Water with 
his sealing vessel, the Unicorn schooner.—R. F, 
2a2 
