iji the PaciUc Ocean. 



65 



Vessel, of writing to our friends, and enjoyed, in pleasing antici-, 

 pation, the effect that the news of our great success would pro- 

 duce in the United States. 



On the 2d, being close by Abington, I had an opportunity of 

 examining the west side of that island, and under a high and 

 inaccessible precipice, opposite to a sandy beach, at the distance 

 of three-quarters of a mile from the shore, found a good anchor- 

 age in twenty-two fathoms water, over a smooth sandy bottom, 

 well sheltered from the prevailing winds by a point to the north- 

 west of that called by Colnet, Cape Chalmers. This place, how- 

 ever, affords anchorage and shelter only ; it is impossible to pe- 

 netrate from thence into the island. But I have no doubt land- 

 ing may be effected elsewhere ; and, from the verdant appearance 

 of the interior of the island, I should suppose that, like all the 

 others, it affords tortoises. On the small beach opposite the an- 

 chorage, we found one turtle, and in the bay an abundance of 

 fish were caught by the boat's crew. I attempted to ascend a 

 small hill on the south point of the bay, and the only one that 

 had the appearance of being accessible, for the purpose of taking 

 a better view of the bay, in order to discover if there were any 

 sunken rocks or other dangers. But I scon was compelled to 

 desist, as the loose lava, ashes, and other volcanic substances, 

 which were constantly giving way under me, rendered my ascent 

 very difficult, and descent dangerous. From thence I proceeded 

 to the north part of the island, which wholly consists of hard 

 black lava, totally destitute of vegetation, and apparently owes 

 its existence to an eruption of no distant period.' The whole of 

 the west as well as the north part we found to be inaccessible, and 

 of the same dreary appearance. 



CHAPTER IX. 

 James" Island ; Fort Rendezvous. 



On the morning of the 4th, at six o'clock, we were between 

 James"* Island and Albemarle, beating up the passage, which is 

 about eighteen miles wide, to reach the harbour, which was now 

 in sight, when the New Zealander, being far to leeward, made a 

 signal for a strange sail to the eastward ; but on ceasing, it 

 proved to be a rock off the east part of James"* Island. This 

 prevented our getting into the bay until half-past two, when we 

 came to an anchor in six fathoms water, within a quarter of a 

 mile of the middle of the beach, over a soft sandy bottom, and 

 moored with our bower-anchor to the southward, and the stream 

 to the northward, the southwest part of Albany Island bearing 



Voyages and Travels, No, XLVII. Vol. VIII. k 



