A.—2b

10

3. We were on the point of heaving to, to wait for the weather to clear, when a sudden lift of mist disclosed for a few minutes the west end of the Twelve Apostles about three miles off on the bow. 4. This point of the island is remarkable for its lofty group of pinnacle rocks closely resembling the Needles. These, although attached by their base to the island, appeared when first seen like sharp jagged peaks arising separately from the sea, and it was the low morning light penetrating between the open spaces that cause them to stand out so clearly, the island itself was not visible. A high rolling sea broke heavily on the weather shore. 5. At about 9 of the forenoon the fog again lifted, and I steamed in for the land to examine the Twelve Apostles (the island on which the "Strathmore" was wrecked), firing guns to attract attention. 6. It was evident that no close observation could be made unless a change took place in the weather, but most fortunately the fog cleared away and was succeded by two singularly fine and calm days, and we were thus able to examine the shores, bays, and hill slopes within a distance from which any people or signs of wreck could have been distinctly seen. 7. A small cairn, raised by the survivors from the " Strathmore," still exists at a point on the ridge about 300 feet above the sea. A grassy plateau where they were encamped was covered with white albatrosses sitting on their nests, and the rocks were covered with penguins. Sea birds of various kinds were numerous, attracted by a good stream of fresh water which flows from the hill over the cliff into the sea. 8. After completing the examination of the Twelve Apostles, I steamed across to Hog Island and examined its leeward coast. Here, as at the Twelve Apostles, the valleys and hill sides were dotted with white albatrosses. The top of this island was covered with snow, and, although it was now the summer of these latitudes, large quantities of snow were still lying in the cleft of the rocks near the shore. The windward or west side of Hog Island is precipitous and much exposed, and I did not see any places where wrecked people could settle, but upon its lee or eastern slope there were several fairly sheltered positions, where the lauding would not be difficult. The lower sides of the hills are covered with coarse grass. There are numerous birds and rabbits, and several fresh-water streams. 9. I now proceeded to Penguin Island, the southern extremity of the Crozet Group. This is a bare precipitous rock about 4| miles in circumference. I could not see any water here, and very few birds. This volcanic island appears to be destitute of any means of preserving life, aud unfortunately it is, from its position, the most dangerous for vessels proceeding by a great circle route to Australia. 10. The search round the shores of the Windward Islands occupied one day, and the next was employed in a similar manner examining the Eastern Islands. 11. The first visited was Possession Island, the largest and most important of the group. When off Nairne Bay we observed on the beach a hut, several casks, and two boats, one of which seemed to be in fair condition. The sea being smooth and the wind light, I decided to anchor and send in our boats to search the shore, as I thought it probable we should find some record left by people who might have gone there in the hope of meeting a sealing vessel. 12. Upon landing, our interest was immediately excited by the strange sensation of finding ourselves surrounded by animals which evidently had not the slightest fear of men or their guns. Hundreds of seals which were resting on the damp grass bordering on the stream, which at this point enters the sea, made no attempt to escape from us; the albatrosses also would not move from their nests on the ground. These magnificent birds, measuring in several instances 11 feet across the wings, only showed resistance when actually seized, and even then did not seem to have any sense of danger. The bay was alive with birds; we observed the white and sooty albatross, petrels of various kinds, black hens and cape pigeons, numerous gulls and a few wild ducks, and the rocks were covered with seals and penguins. 13. The hut was about 12 feet long, and contained six sleeping bunks ; it was rudely constructed with staves of casks. There was a stove inside on the right of the door, ingeniously made out of an old fish-kettle ; the funnel was formed by a series of small iron hoops nailed together. There were a number of empty casks outside, together with other debris belonging to a sealing establishment. There were two whaleboats hauled up on the beach; one of these was useless, the other with some slight repairs could be made seaworthy. The name "J. A. Brink" was cut on the door of the hut. We found no document, or any signs of the bay having been lately visited. The following record was placed in a tin box and secured to the stove in the hut: " Her Britannic Majesty's ship ' Wolverene,' 17 guns, visited each island of the Crozet Group to ascertain if there were any shipwrecked people on them, and finally called at this bay on the Ist December, 1876, on her way to Perth, Western Australia, from England." 14. We concluded our examination by steaming round and searching the steep and desolate shores of East Island, the last of the group. 15. Soon after leaving the land, and while the Crozets were still visible, we passed close to a large iceberg whose height was estimated at 300 feet, and the circumference at the water-line about three miles. 16. Judging from my experience, I would submit that merchant vessels should be cautioned against going down to a higher latitude than the 44th parallel; in the stormy latitudes south of this the westerly gales propel a ship through the water at a great speed, and the seas are so high that it would be difficult to check tho speed or haul to the wind to clear danger. The Crozets are in a known position and can be avoided by careful navigation, but this is not the case with icebergs ; if one of these should happen to be floating in the line of course of a vessel going through the water at a rate of 12 or 13 knots during a fog by day or on a dark night it would not be seen until it was too near to be avoided, and destruction would be certain. Icebergs in these southern seas should be considered as representing rocks or shoals in unknown positions. Merchant ships rushing blindly though these dangers run most criminal risks ; they play a daring game of chance at which the lives of the passengers