62 DESOLATION ISLAND— CHRISTMAS HARBOUR. p823 



we had experienced since our departure from the Falkland Islands on 

 the 2d of November. 



In our search for seal we were occupied more than a week, rowing 

 and sailing round the island, and examining every beach ; but our 

 labours were not crowned with any great success. We did not see in 

 our whole survey more than three thousand fur-seal, of which we took 

 two hundred. On the west side, however, we saw about four thou- 

 sand sea-elephants, and about fifteen hundred on the east side. On the 

 former side we found many excellent harbours. We returned to the 

 vessel on Friday, the 10th. 



CHAPTER IV. 



Desolation Island, or Kergulen's Land — Christmas Harbour — Natural Produc- 

 tions — Oceanic Animals — Departure from the Island, towards the South Pole — 

 Cross the Antarctic Circle — Procure fresh Water from the Ice — Steer for Sand- 

 wich-land — Candlemas Isles — Southern Thule — Burning Volcanoes — Return to 

 the Antarctic Seas — Mild Temperature of the Air and Water — No Field-ice in 

 Lat. 70° 14' — Ice-islands and Icebergs ; their Formation — Practicability of 

 reaching the South Pole — New South Greenland — Staten Land. 



Kergulen's Land, otherwise called Desolation Island, was first 

 discovered in 1772, byM. de Kergulen, a French navigator, who mis- 

 took it for a southern continent, and so reported to his government ; 

 who sent him back in the following year to give his new discovery a 

 critical examination, survey its coasts, &c. He now discovered his 

 mistake, and at the same time some small islands in the vicinity of the 

 large one. Three years afterward Captain Cook fell in with the same 

 islands, but considered them of little importance. It was he who 

 named the principal one the " Island of Desolation." My own ob- 

 servations, however, have led me to conclude, that notwithstanding its 

 natural defects and desolate character, it is still not without its value. 

 As a place of repose for the weather-beaten mariner whose duty calls 

 him into these remote seas, I know its worth by experience. Its safe 

 and commodious harbours, with abundance of fresh water, are alone 

 sufficient to redeem its reputation. 



Christmas Harbour is the first that is met with on the east or north 

 east side of the island after passing Cape Francois, which forms the 

 northern side of this haven, at the head of which is Wasp's Harbour 

 The latter is a small basin, completely land-locked within itself, into 

 which you can carry four fathoms of water. Here you may anchor in 

 from ten to three fathoms, clay bottom ; and here a ship might lie with 

 her best bower ahead at all seasons, the year round, in perfect safety. 

 To the westward, at the head of this basin, is a small fresh water 

 river of an excellent quality, from which a ship may fill any quantity, 

 and warp it along-side with one hundred fathoms of line. In this cove, 

 in the month of December (corresponding to our June), a ship may 

 be supplied with any quantity of penguins' eggs from rookeries within 



