120 
CRUISE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 
The usual westerly winds and boisterous weather 1 
of the “roaring forties” were experienced as the 
ship ran quickly on for Prince Edward and Marion 
Islands, lying 1100 miles to the south-east of the 
Cape, only one sounding in 1600 fathoms being ob- 
tained to the westward of them. Christmas Day was 
spent in these latitudes, with anything but seasonable 
weather ; temperature of air being from 38° to 43°. 
On the 25th land was seen, and the next day, 
weather being much clearer, a landing was effected 
on Marion Island. One of the cutters, after a long 
pull through extensive fields of kelp (forming a 
natural breakwater to the long swell rolling in along 
the beach), reached the shore. A regular landing- 
place was not to be expected ; however, by dint of 
jumping from rock to rock, a method far more agree- 
able and better suited to penguins than to steady- 
going philosophers, a footing was accomplished on 
the firm soil. 
What a scene of wild desolation and solitude met 
their gaze ! Around nothing but huge blocks of 
rough and rugged rock rolled about by the breakers, 
slippery with half-dry algae. Still onward was the 
order, and it was found on reaching the higher land 
there was but little else than a wide boggy swamp. 
The slopes of the hills are used by the prion and 
other petrels as breeding warrens. The whole of 
the wet, sodden flat lands was studded with large 
white albatrosses sitting on their nests. These mag- 
