CTP TER Xl. 
DECEPTION ISLAND. 
Tue following remarks on Deception Island are from the Journal 
of Dr. J. S. Whittle, of the Expedition, who visited the place in the 
schooner Seagull, in March, 1839.* 
The harbour of Deception Island has the shape of a horseshoe, and 
is from fifteen to twenty miles in circumference. The entrance is but 
three hundred yards wide. It is inclosed by a ridge of hills varying 
from eight hundred to one thousand eight hundred feet high; on the 
north, as seen from the bay, they are black and gloomy, while those on 
the south side are streaked with red. Not a trace of vegetation is any- 
where to be seen. Pendulum Cove, in which we finally anchored, is 
a small basin, about four hundred yards in diameter, surrounded by 
some of the highest hills on the island; their slopes are deeply fur- 
rowed by the rains, and present a singularly bleak and desolate ap- 
pearance. 
There is great difficulty in ascending the hills on account of the 
looseness of the soil, as it gives way under every step. When dry, it 
has a dark gray colour, but is perfectly black when wet. The banks 
are formed of volcanic rocks, nearly of the same colour as the soil, 
though sometimes lighter, and of masses of ice, mixed layer for layer 
with earth. 
On the southern side of the harbour, about two miles from the 
anchorage, several streams of salt water were observed running from 
the lower part of the hills and emptying into the bay, which were hot 
enough to have boiled an egg. ‘Three miles farther towards the 
mouth of the harbour we saw vapour rising in immense quantity ; 
* Many specimens were collected by Dr. Whittle and Mr, J. W. LE. Reed, U.S. N., 
but they were unfortunately lost in the upsetting of a boat. 
