106 



LORD HOWE ISLAND. 



and reminded me much of the deep, long gulches with which the Island of 

 St. Helena is cut up. The saddle cannot be far short of 2,000 feet above 

 sea-lovel. 



The further ascent of Mount Grower from this divide is one long, steep, 

 and in places almost vertical climb. The sides of this hill are much 

 less broken up into terraces than is the case with Mount Legdbird, the imme- 

 diate scarp or wall below the summit being of great height and grandeur. 

 The latter, as compared wirh other portions of its surface, is flat, of about 

 half a square mile in extent. Mr. John Duff remarks that "tlie top of Mount 

 Gower is probably 150 or 200 acres in extent, chiefly flat, with numerous 

 creeks and ravines across its centre. The soil is composed of sphagnum (moss) 

 and other decayed vegetable substances. All the trees on it are stunted in 

 growth."* Mount Gower rises to a height of 2,840 feet 



Taking the coast line of Lord Howe Island generally, it may be said that 

 from Phillip Point on the north-west to JN'ed's Beach on the north-east ; and 

 again from Mutton Bird Point on the east round the south end of the island 

 to Erskine Valley on the south-west, it is more or less inaccessible. The 

 chief breaks in its continuity are the following ; — To the north-east of 

 Phillip Bluff a short narrow inlet occurs, almost at the base of Mount 

 Eliza, and known as the " Gulch." A comparatively small depression of 

 the island would cause the waters of the North Bay within the Lagoon to 

 join with those of the open sea through this gut-way. Immediately at the 

 north-east corner of Lord Howe Island is the pleasant Ked's Beach Bay, 

 protected by a long ledge of rocks, in six and seven fathoms of water, and 

 encircling the point of the North Peak, and terminating at the Sugar-loaf, 

 a basaltic mass between the point and the Admiralty Islets. Some distance 

 round the south headland, enclosing the before-mentioned bay, are a series 

 of rocky inlets, terminating to the south in Middle Beach Bay. This head- 

 land is a prolongation of the Coral-sand rock plateau previously referred to, 

 and, both from its importance, and lacking a name, I have termed it Wilkin- 

 son's Promontory. t 



Middle Beach Bay is a snug little harbour, and has the good repute of being 

 the only landing-place which can be depended on in all seasons and 

 weather. A narrow calm channel exists between two sunken rocliy reefs, 

 in which the water, from tw^o to nine fathoms, no matter how it may be raging 

 outside and around, is always calm and comparatively still. 



Erom Middle Beach, following the coast-lino round Observatory Point and 

 the rocky flanks of Mount Lookout, Blenkinthorpe Bay is approached, 

 terminating to the south-east in Mutton Bird Point. This bay is the most 

 pleasant coast recess on the island, and is the only instance of sand accu- 

 mulation in any way approaching the dune, or rather hillock formation. 

 Beyond the previously mentioned headland to a point opposite the southern 

 extremity of Mount Lodgbird, the shore is much broken up into cliff-girt 

 harbours, only one of which, Boat Haven, appears to have received a name. 

 Erom the point just indicated the coast follows an unbroken line to King 

 Point, the southern extremity of Lord Howe. 



On the west coast the great feature is the Lagoon, about three and a 

 quarter nautical miles in length, with an average breadth of half to three- 

 quarters of a mile, but narrowing very much towards its southern end. The 

 shore line south of Thompson's Point is generally uniform, the only project- 



* Report on the Vegetation of tlie Island. — Lord Howe Island, lieport on Present 

 State, (fee, p. 10. 



t After the late Mr. H. T. Wilkinson, J. P., of the Department of Mines, Visiting 

 Magistrate at Lord Howe. 



