100 VOYAGE OF THE POTOMAC. [January, 
half in circumference, opening eastwardly, with a prominent head- 
land on each side of the entrance, abreast of which vessels may 
find anchorage in from twenty to twenty-three fathoms ; bottom 
of black sand. The depth of water in the centre of the crater is. 
about thirty fathoms. From the northeast point of this island, a 
low rocky reef " makes out" about half a mile into the sea, on which 
the kelp may be seen growing to a great length, and rising to the 
surface of the water. From the north and west points of the isl- 
and, breakers project about a quarter of a mile into the sea. From 
its western extremity, also, a reef makes out some distance, on 
which the sea breaks. Here, in an east wind, a sealing vessel 
was lost, and usually ships are not safe with the wind from that 
quarter. 
The waters around this island abound with fish, among which 
is a species of the cod, bream, striped perch, red perch, and rock 
cod, with crawfish in myriads ; dogfish and sharks are also found 
here in formidable numbers, together with whales, grampuses, 
porpoises, seahons, and seals. Indeed, so abundant are the fish, 
that almost every year the island is visited to procure and salt 
them, for the market of the island of Mauritius. As respects 
climate, sealers who have resided long upon this desolate spot 
say, that the weather is very fine in summer, but stormy in the 
winter, when the rains descend in torrents upon the island, and 
its surface is often swept with resistless tornadoes and whirlwinds. 
Numerous birds, such as the albatross, penguin, pufiSn, seaswal- 
low, large black peterel, blue peterel, gray peterel, stormy peterel, 
and Mother Carey's chickens, abound on the island, and eggs 
are plenty. 
The variation of the needle here, in 1747, was 17° 55' west; 
in 1764, it was 18° 45' west ; and in 1789, it was 19° 45' west. 
In sight of this island, to the north, is Amsterdam island, which 
is not high, but contains more Vegetation, and also fresh water. 
The Dutch navigators, who first discovered these islands, gave 
their favourite name of Amsterdam to the northern, and that of 
St. Paul to the southern. Captain Cook designated them in the 
same manner. But later navigators, it appears, have transversed 
these cognomens, and christened each anew. We adhere to the 
original appellation, and recognise St Paul's as the southern 
island. 
