Like Smith's Island it was only distinguishable from the numerous icebergs by which it was surrounded, by the towering height of its mountains, and by .the black fringe of rocks that skirted the water-line. At this time the vessel was surrounded by vast multitudes of whales, penguins and birds of the petrel tribe who appeared, by their sportive gambols, aware of the propriety of making the best use of the few moments of fine weather alotted to them by the niggard season of this desolate region. This interval of fine weather admitted of the ship's place being determined, and in the afternoon being abreast of a projecting headland, Captain Foster and myself left the ship with the view of effecting a landing, and taking possesion of what we were aware was a new discovery. W. We procured specimens of its rock, and a small quantity of red snow, similar to that which had been met with in the arctic regions. The resemblance to a vessel was indeed so perfect that we found it difficult to divest ourselves of the sensation to which tbe presence of a consort naturallly gives rise.
Deception Island presents a different appearance from the rest of the group.
The warmth of the soil and the blackness of the cinders make it appear more like terra firma than the other islands, and its rccks are also more denuded of their snow mantle. On the.S.E.side is an opening of about six hundred feet wide, which affords an entrance to a kind of lake or internal sea. The hills, whose height was about one thousand eight hundred feet, were principally tufa, scoria, and a red brick-like substance, but in some places points of obsidian and hard compact lava were seen. Th island is inhabited by penguins, from whose rookeries proceeded a most deafening din, saluting the ears of the passenger in most discordant notes. Besides the penguins, we found sea-leopards, Port Egmont hens, pintados, and various kinds of petrels, who bred in the rocks.