RESEARCHES ON SHORE. 
249 
Soon after the three ships were made fast, there 
being an interval of fair weather, and tolerably 
clear, a boat from each ship proceeded to the 
shore. I landed under Vandyke Cliffs, near 
Cape Moorsom, on a steep slope, formed by the 
debris of the rocks above. After one unsuccess¬ 
ful attempt to ascend, I entered upon a slope in¬ 
cluded between two precipitous rocks, and with 
much labour accomplished about 500 feet, above 
which, the cliff rising vertically, prevented farther 
progress in that direction; but, after skirting the 
brow T of another precipice below me, where the in¬ 
clination was at least 50”, and the surface entirely 
composed of loose sharp stones, I reached the bot¬ 
tom of a chasm between two prodigious pinnacles, 
and again proceeded upward. This attempt, which 
I was induced to undertake for the purpose of col¬ 
lecting specimens of the rocks and plants, even¬ 
tually assumed such a hazardous aspect, that I 
would gladly have relinquished it, could I have 
conveniently returned. The rocks of the pinna¬ 
cles boimding the chasm, distant about twenty feet 
from each other, were vertical on both sides. One 
of these rocks, which was greatly decomposed and 
broken, so as to afford by no means a firm hold, I 
was obliged to grasp with my left hand, and to 
thrust my right hand among the loose stones, 
while every step was accomplished ; and it fre- 
