356 NATURAL HISTORY OF 



mainland, named Connor Cove, in honour of one of the sur- 

 veyors, immediately after which three of the officers with 

 myself took the dingy and w^ent off to explore a small 

 river which debouched at the head. This we found to be 

 tolerably wide and deep for some distance, succeeding in 

 pulling up the stream for nearly a quarter of a mile before 

 we grounded. Had it been earlier in the day, and the sun 

 shining brightly, it would have furnished a beautiful scene 

 for a picture, the water flowing slowly between steep wooded 

 banks, behind which high mountains arose. The only living 

 objects to be seen were a steamer-duck and a large fish swim- 

 ming rapidly about. 



The 12th was nearly free from rain, and w^e left our anchor- 

 age early, reaching Island Harbour shortly before noon. As 

 it was determined that we should remain here for the rest of 

 the day, I resolved in occupying the afternoon in the ascent 

 of a very steep hill, about 2000 feet in height, on the left side 

 of the head of the harbour, and accordingly set forth at 

 one P.M., accompanied by one of the officers who was also 

 ambitious of the exploit. On landing we found the ground 

 even less adapted for walking over than we had calculated, 

 the land being disposed in steep ridges, with thickly 

 wooded, deep, and narrow intervening valleys, which re- 

 quired a severe amount of scrambling to cross. The ground 

 was everywhere wringing wet, and in many places we sank 

 far above the knees in pools of water, and were compelled to 

 circumambulate various streams and small lakes, which 

 caused our route to assume a very meandering character. 

 After we had accomplished a little more than a third of the 

 way, my companion, who was not in such good walking trim 

 as myself, gave in, and, after having vainly attempted to 

 dissuade me from going farther, sat down on a rock to 



