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102 



LORD HOWE ISLAND. 



to follow out Mr. Wilkinson's simile, is protected by a fringing coral-reef, 

 extending from Phillip Point on tlie north, to tlic foot of Mount Ledgbird 

 on the south. 



The North Eidge is broken up into a series of semi-detached poaivs, present- 

 ing a bold face to seaward, rising from soundings of ten and eleven fathoms 

 in precipitous vertical cliffs, of from 600 to 700 feet, without the interven- 

 tion of any beach. The north-east end of this ridge terminates in the 

 North Peak, or " Pools-Lookout," a well rounded hill of 714 feet. PoUow- 

 ing the cliffs along to the westward, over successive minor rises, a peculiar 

 semi-isolated hill is approached, standing in majestic solitude, and known as 

 Mount Eliza. It has all the appearance of a conical hill cut vertically in 

 half, concave or hollowed out towards the sea, and presenting to the eye, as 

 viewed from a distance, a curved crescentic outline. It has been excep- 

 tionally well described by "Linnaeus," who says, "resembling a divided 

 cone with a peaked top." This rugged promontory terminates to the north- 

 west in a bold craggy headland, running north and south, the northern 

 extremity being known as Phillip Bluff, and the southern, Phillip Point. 

 Under the precipitous cliffs of this end of the island, soundings are obtained 

 varying from seven to fifteen fathoms, but there are no gulches or gullies run- 

 ning up from the sea-level. The only indentation is near Phillip Bluff, where 

 a short but deep water-way runs in under Mount Eliza. Along the face 

 between the two points mentioned above, one or two sea-washed caves exist, 

 but no opportunity of exploring these was afforded to our party. Two 

 spurs tending in a southerly direction, are given off from the North Eidge. 

 The boldest and most precipitous is an off-shoot of the North Peak, and 

 overlooks Ned's Beach Bay on the east coast. Prom the smaller isolated 

 peaks of this spur, one of the most beautiful views on the island is visible. 

 Looking south the entire length is laid out before the eyes of the observer, 

 across the tops of Mount Lookout and Intermediate Hill, or on the other 

 hand, over the Lagoon, along the nearly vertical sides of Mounts Ledgbird 

 and Grower. An excellent photograph, taken from a water-colour drawing, 

 has been published by the Grovernment Printer of this view, and is the best 

 general panoramic view of Lord Howe Island. 



The second spur proceeds from near the centre of the North Bidge, and 

 projects as a well rounded sloping promontory into the Lagoon. Between its 

 western side and Phillip Point is enclosed the North Bay, forming the most 

 northerly arm of the Lagoon, and well protected from the heavy south-west 

 seas which at times break upon this part of the island, by one shore end of 

 the coral-reef. On the eastern side of this promontory is a sub-marine 

 depression in the Lagoon, known as the Boat Pool. 



Between the North Bidge and the main mass of the island is a narrow 

 connecting neck of land, principally formed of the second volcanic mass, 

 known as Mount Lookout, surrounded by at least two-thirds of the only 

 undulating and flat ground on Lord Howe. Mount Lookout is a conspicuous 

 and rather conical hill on the east coast, overlooking the northern end of 

 Blenkinthorpe Bay, 414 feet high, and commanding an uninterrupted view to 

 the sea horizon in nearly every direction, the only exception being to the 

 north and south. Slightly separated from Mount Lookout is a more or less 

 flat table-land extending diagonally across the island at its south-west 

 extremity, forming a low point, overlooking as near as possible the centre of 

 the Lagoon. Two prominent headlands are thrown outf rom Mount Lookout ; 

 that to the north-east is called by the inhabitants Clear Place Point, but on 

 the Admiralty chart is marked Observatory Spot. The coast-line between 

 this point and the southern off'-shoot, which forms the northern termination 



