94 
CRUISE OF HJI.S. CHALLENGER . 
been previously the case. On the 6th October, in 
lat. 30° south, we picked up the commencement of the 
66 westerlies,” and by their influence we made short 
work of the 900 miles still separating us from the 
islands. On the morning of the 15th land was in 
sight, a little speck at first rising up dark and rugged 
out of the sea, growing larger and larger as we 
neared, terminating at length in a huge conical peak 
some 8000 feet in height covered with snow. 
It seems surprising that people can be found to 
leave associations and friends, and isolate them- 
selves in such an out-of-the-way place as this, more 
remote from other inhabited places than any other 
settlement on the face of the globe. At the time of 
our visit the population consisted of some twenty 
families, numbering eighty-four in all. Soon after 
our anchoring a boat came off with seventeen of 
the islanders. Amongst them was Peter Green, 
their governor, from whom it was ascertained that 
they had plenty of cattle and vegetables for sale. 
This was welcome news, for fresh provisions are 
always acceptable after being a long time at sea. 
They however proved, as was found out later, that 
they were not above trying to make a good bargain 
out of us, and consequently spoiled the market for 
themselves. 
We had approached the land as near as safety 
permitted ; the weather promising to be fine, oppor- 
tunities were taken to land. Soon after leaving the 
