498 



CLIMATE—ANCHORAGE SOIL. 



Oct. 



progress towards our destination (Chatham Island) this day 

 (9th). The winds appear to be much lighter and more variable, 

 to leeward of the archipelago, while the current is conside- 

 rably stronger.* We got pretty close to Chatham Island at 

 dusk, worked to windward during the night, and on the fol- 

 lowing morning stood along the weather shore towards the 

 watering place. 



11th. How remarkably different is the climate of the wind- 

 ward and leeward islands of this group ! Here we were enve- 

 loped by clouds and drizzling fog, and wore cloth clothes. At 

 Tagus Cove and James Island, a hot sun, nearly vertical, over- 

 powered us ; — while the south side of Albemarle, Charles, and 

 Chatham Islands, were almost always overshadowed by clouds? 

 and had frequent showers of rain. We anchored close to the 

 watering place : but it appeared strange to remain at anchor in 

 such a spot, only three cables' lengths from a surf breaking 

 high upon a steep cliffy shore, with nothing but the ocean 

 between us and the antarctic ; and such was our position ; yet it 

 was a safe one, because the great south-west swell of the 

 Pacific is interrupted by Hood Island, and the southerly trade, 

 or perennial wind is so moderate, that it has neither power to 

 raise a sea nor to harm a vessel lying at anchor, if her ground 

 tackle is not defective. 



The 12th was spent in filling water, washing, cutting some 

 wood, and bringing thirty large terrapin on board. These 

 animals abound hereabouts ; and some are very large, deserving 

 the name of elephant-tortoises. Two of our party tried to 

 reach the higher and thickly wooded part of the island, but 

 found their task impracticable, in so short a time as they could 

 spare, for the wood grows impenetrably thick, though none is 

 straight or of a large size. The upper grounds have a rich 

 loamy soil, lying upon rock, in which the terrapin wallow like 

 hogs, and may be found by dozens. This was a very hard 

 day's work for so few men as were then on board our small 

 vessel. (13th) We had some difficulty in ' casting,' so as to 



• It appears that the Norfolk Island of Colnett, is the north-east 

 pxtreme of Indefatigable Island. 



