494 



WILD CYCLOPIAX SCENE. 



Sept. 



sea ; so that this island, large as it is, may be literally described 

 by saying that it consists of six huge craters, whose bases are 

 united by their own overflowed lava. The southern side, which 

 is exposed to the trade wind, and completely intercepts it, with 

 all the clouds it brings, is thickly wooded, very green, and 

 doubtless has fresh water ; but how is that water to be obtained 

 where such a swell rolls upon the shore ? The weather side 

 of Chatham Island is partially protected from the great 

 south-west swell of the Pacific by Hood Island, yet even there 

 it is difficult to land. 



We passed this night under easy sail, off the south-west 

 extreme of Albemarle Island ; and on the 29th we found a 

 small cove, in which we anchored ; but such a wild-looking 

 place — with such quantities of hideous iguanas as were quite 

 startling ! Hence I despatched Mr. Mellersh and Mr. King, 

 to examine the depth of Elizabeth Bay, and rejoin us beyond 

 Narborough Island ; we then weighed, and continued our 

 examination of this unearthly shore. Passing a low projecting 

 point, our eyes and imagination were engrossed by the strange 

 wildness of the view ; for in such a place Vulcan might 

 have worked. Amidst the most confusedly heaped masses of 

 lava, black and barren, as if hardly yet cooled, innumerable 

 craters (or fumeroles) showed their very regular, even artificial 

 looking heaps. It was like immense iron works, on a Cyclo- 

 pian scale ! 



When this lava flowed from the heights it must have been 

 stopped rather suddenly (cooled) by the water ; for the lava 

 cliffs are in some places twenty, and in others forty feet high, 

 while close to them there is water so deep that a ship could not 

 anchor there, even in a calm while the sea is quite smooth. 

 Until we rounded this point the wind was very strong, eddy- 

 ing round the high south-west cape ; but here we were be- 

 calmed, and passed some anxious hours, till at length light 

 variable airs carried us off-shore. 



30th. This morning we passed a remarkably fine American 

 whaler, the Science, carrying nine whale-boats ! On the south- 



