360 



CARNLEY'S HARBOUR. 



[1830. 



telligence to me, as we had considerable work to do, our sails and rig- 

 ging being very much out of repair. 



January 2d. — On the following morning, which was Saturday, the 

 2d of January, after committing my wife to the care of her brother, 

 and setting all hands at work that were on board, I took the small 

 boat and went on shore, with the intention of taking a stroll about the 

 island. I travelled about five miles, over wood-crowned hills, fertile 

 plains, and luxuriant valleys ; and on my return to the vessel, at 7, 

 P. M., I carried with me, as trophies and specimens, several beautiful 

 birds which I had shot, and a large collection of flowers. 



January Uh. — On Monday, the 4th, at 8, P. M., the boats returned, 

 after pulling round the island, without seeing a single fur-seal, and not 

 more than twenty of the hair kind. The boats were immediately taken 

 up, and preparations made for leaving this group of islands on the fol- 

 lowing morning. In the mean time, I presume that a brief description 

 of the principal one, in a harbour of which we now lay at anchor, will 

 not be uninteresting to the reader. 



Auckland's Group,* as it is called on the charts, is a cluster of 

 islands, only one of which is large enough to deserve the name, and 

 that is twenty-five miles in length, from north to south, and fifteen in 

 width, from east to west. It is situated about two hundred and fifty 

 miles south of New-Zealand, and as many leagues south-east of Van 

 Dieman's Land, being in the South Pacific Ocean, in lat. 51° 0' south, 

 long. 166° 20' east. It was discovered, with its surrounding islets, by 

 Captain A. Bristow, in 1808. It is moderately elevated, the highest 

 points being about fifteen hundred feet above the level of the sea. It is 

 indented with a number of fine harbours, where ships can lie in safety, 

 sheltered from all winds. A few islets lie on its eastern side ; two or 

 three others are on its western side, one of which is called Disappoint- 

 ment Island ; Adams's Island lies off its south end, sheltering the fine 

 harbour in which we lay at anchor, the eastern point of which is called 

 Cape Bennett. On the north-east is Enderby's Island, and on the 

 north Bristow's Rock. 



Carnley's Harbour makes in about four miles to the eastward of the 

 south cape ; and the entrance is formed by two bluff points, from which, 

 to the head of the lagoon, the distance is fifteen miles. The passage is 

 about two miles wide, and entirely clear of dangers, within twenty- 

 five fathoms of each shore. It runs in first north-north-west, then 

 north and north-north-east; forming, at the head of the lagoon, a beau- 

 tiful basin, with sufficient room for half a dozen ships to moor. The 

 least water from the entrance until we came near the anchorage was 

 twenty fathoms, mid-channel. We anchored in four fathoms, clay 

 ground. 



The western side of this island is a perpendicular, bluff, iron-bound 

 coast, with deep water within a hundred fathoms of the shore ; while 

 the eastern coast is principally lined with a pebbly or sandy beach, 

 behind which are extensive level plains, covered with beautiful groves, 



* This group was so named in honour of Lord Auckland, who died eight years afterward. This 

 nobleman began his career in 1776, being one of the commissioners appointed to propose terms of 

 peace to the American congress. His colleagues were Lord Howe, Sir Henry Clinton, &c. The 

 result is well known. 



