290 
A VOYAGE TO 
1778. are of a very moderate height; but even the higheft are in- 
tirely covered to their tops with the thickeft woods; as well 
as every flat part toward the fea. There are fometimes fpots 
upon the fides of fome of the hills which are bare ; but they 
are few, in companion of the whole, though they fuffi- 
ciently point out the general rocky difpoiition of thefe hills. 
Properly fpeaking, they have no foil upon them, except a 
kind of compoft, produced from rotten mofTes and trees, 
of the depth of two feet or more. Their foundations are, 
therefore, to be confidered as nothing more than flupendous 
rocks, of a whitifh or grey call, where they have been 
expofed to the weather ; but, when broken, they appeared 
to be of a blueifh grey colour, like that univerfal fort which 
were found at Kerguelen’s Land. The rocky fhores are 
a continued mafs of this; and the little coves, in the Sound, 
have beaches compofed of fragments of it, with a few other 
pebbles. All thefe coves are furnifhed with a great quan¬ 
tity of fallen wood lying in them, which is carried in by 
the tide ; and with rills of frefh water, fufficient for the ufe 
of a fhip, which feem to be fupplied entirely from the rains, 
and fogs that hover about the tops of the hills. For few 
fprings can be expe6ted in fo rocky a country, and the frefh 
water found farther up the Sound, moft probably arofe 
from the melting of the fnow; there being no room to fuf- 
pe£t, that any large river falls into the Sound, either from 
flrangers coming down it, or from any other circumftance. 
The water of thefe rills is perfe6tly clear, and diffolves foap 
ealily. 
The weather, during our flay, correfponded pretty nearly 
with that which we had experienced off the coaft. That is, 
when the wind was any where between North and Weft, 
the weather was fine and clear; but if to the Southward of 
10 Weft, 
