148 PORTER’S JOURNAL, 
which skirt the shore, on account of the extreme depth of the 
water. 
Where we landed, the shore was moderately low, the soil ap¬ 
parently rich and moist, and the vegetation luxuriant, many of 
the trees being 30 feet in height, the underwood very thick, and 
pushing forth vigorously, and the grass as high as a man’s mid¬ 
dle. The rain appeared to be falling in torrents on the high 
lands, but we could see nothing that indicated the neighbourhood 
of a stream of water. From the landing to Point Christopher, 
the shores are bounded by precipices of several hundred feet in 
height, which are as regularly formed of strata of stones and 
earth, as if they had been laid by the most expert mason. The 
strata of stones and earth are each about two feet in thickness, 
and from the base to the summit of the precipice are laid with 
surprising regularity, in lines perfectly straight and parallel. 
Perceiving a breeze springing up, I hastened on board (for I 
had objects in view of more importance than examining the 
rocky coast of this dreary place, or catching guanas and seals), 
where, on my arrival, I caused all sail to -be made, and shaped 
my course for Narborough Island, which now began to shew it¬ 
self open with Point Christopher, and in its appearance bears 
some resemblance to a turtle’s back. I was in hopes that the 
breeze would carry us clear of the northern point of that island 
before day-light, in order that we might have the whole of the 
next day for securing our prizes in Banks’ Bay, which lies be¬ 
tween Narborough and the south head of Albemarle, Cape Berk¬ 
ley ; for the island of Albemarle is formed something like a cre¬ 
scent, the convex side lying to the west; and Narborough Island, 
wiiich is nearly round, lies in the bend, forming Banks’ Bay on 
the north and Elizabeth Bay on the south, leaving a safe passage 
inside from one bay to the other. To Banks’ Bay the fishermen 
resort every year, between March and July, to take the whale, 
which come in there in great numbers at that season, in pursuit 
of the squid or cuttle fish, which are brought into the eddy form¬ 
ed there by the rapid currents which prevail. In this bay ves¬ 
sels are enabled to keep their stations, notwithstanding the cur¬ 
rents and calms which prevail, and frequently lie for months be- 
