light, and we have taken nearly all the fish and mussels that were anywhere within two or three miles of the house; and we cannot very well go any farther along the shores without the boat. Besides, the mussels are very scarce anywhere excepting at low water spring tides; and at that time it is always dark now, as it is high water on full and change days about noon.
Yesterday we all (excepting the cook) went on to the mountains to the north, taking the same track up that I took on the 24th January. We travelled on until we reached the top of a mountain which is situated about the centre of the island, and is, I think, the highest part of the land. From here we had a full view of the whole group. The south island, as I noticed on 13th January, is scarcely disconnected, and one to the extreme north is at some distance from the mainland—perhaps six miles, and it may be about six miles in circumference. The whole extent of the group from north to south I judge to be 30 or 35 miles, and about fifteen miles east and west at the widest part. The western shore is high and bold, particularly the southern end, carrying almost a straight line N.N.E., and with one or two small islets (perhaps there are more; I saw two) off the middle of the island, but close to it. To the eastward of the extreme northern part, there appears to be a number of dangerous sunken reefs, on which the water breaks heavily, although it was calm, and has been calm, or nearly so, for the last four days. Some of these reefs extend to a distance of not less than ten miles from the land.
On the eastern side of the island, from about the centre of the coast line, the land trends away in a N.W. direction to its northern extremity. This part of the land is much lower than the southern parts, and from the western coast slopes away in undulating ridges to the N.E. shore, which is cut up by indentions, small bays, and chasms. From the appearance of this part of the island, I have no doubt but it is swarming with seals. The shores are clad
