The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-02

the transit of Venus. we remaiped in the neigh
borhood Tor Jour days. but were enveloped the
We managed to get into Navire Bay but there was
sucl heavy ground swell that IL was not safe 10
anchor. Seeing signs OF life on shore, although
We fred guns attract the attention OF any stray
seaers, sail was made and we bore away. There
was hut and the debrts Of sealing establish
ment, casks &c, on the beach. The bad weather
was rather disappointment. At one OF the
Islands the hogs are described as being numerous
and leroctous, so we wanted to make their
acquaintance; and there are said 10 be rabbits on
Possession Island. An outlying arched rock
which Is said to be hign enough q shin TO sail
through. is also one OF the Institutions From the
few ghmpses OF the shore that we saw 1t appears
covered with snow, soft moss and a KIND Of coarse
grass on the slopes OF the hls, WITH no DOUBT the
cabbage. The shore 10 places is very PERCEPTIONS,
with cascades tumbiing down. The temperature
what viii be found 70 be most disaureeabic is the
OF successful observatons very doubtful.
Christmas Harbor, Kergueen. was reached on
having been visited and named by Cap
tain Cook on his first voyage. and Ross
spent sixsy.ave days there thirty.!hree years ago.
during which time hourly magnetic observations
were registered Mt station on shore. Pleasant
work II must have been Oh the cold nights watch
ing the dipping needle. Our observations were
taken on the same spot. The next twenty-f0ur
days were spent examining the numerous bays
creeks, and lords on the east or lee side OF the
A HIGH RANGE OF MOUNTAINS COVERED WITH SNOW
extend the whole length. the highest peak being
Mount Ross, at Royal Sound, 5000 feet The vege-
tation Is much the same everywhere-sot moss
coarse grass, plenty OF the cabbage, but no trees
or shrubs. The lowering pants in all do not num-
Der over thirty. sea elephants and leopards
were numerous in the ere ks, and few
orally to frequent outlying rocks and islands,
which we had no time TO visit. The only four
Of wnich probably got ashore from some whaler.
we landed goats at Betsy Cove, or as II is called
Sy the Ysnkss Mnalers MOI, "pot haro%r" from
from time immemorial. There was capital duck
shooting every where. The birds are small OF dark
brown pumage something Ike wldgeon, and capital
eating. We could not find that they were described
by naturaiists. and probably the species Is only
to be found on these southern islands. Our sports
men sometimes mustered eight guns, and we have
shot sufficient Tor issue to the ships company, 243
IN the valleys and near small lakes, which were
very numerous in low lying land. Walking was
bad, particularly with load OF birds on your back
the moss 80 SOFT and wet that frequently you
sunk over ur knees, but, as au very iond OF
THREE scHOONERS, ALL HAIIING FROM NEW LONDON,
FISH for whales seals and elephants mere and at
Heard's Island. We met the schooners. The mas
ters and mates were Anne leans, the crews prln-
clpaily Portuguese rom the Cape Verde Islands.
Two O. the scnooners Inc Emma ,1 a. Jane ana KOS
which vessel makes an annual trip - the SiareS
with Oil and Tor supplies. Captain Fuller, OF the
Roswell King, was most Intelligent; had been IN
tins ncight Orhood for the last twenty years, and
knew the islands thoroughly. He IS the only one
that ventures the west shore, which is gener-
ally enyeloped IN must, brought on by the pre-
valiing westerly winds, and mas only q lew small
era,iy cruise Tor whales OF Kergueien close to tie
land, from January to August, getting elephants
on the beaches, and few ,ur seals. In Septem-
Der they go to Heard'S Island and are engaged
until December
KILLING ELEPHANTS, WHICH ARE VERY NUMEROUS,
ana boiling down. The Roman then takes the
oil on board and they all take their de-
parta,e leaving party 81 ao0ns tn nryo men ZEN
%.nser one Of the mates was most anus
Ing fellow, Scotchman by birth-hls Captain
called MIN whitewashed Yankee-and could stow
more whlskey without spllilng 1t, as YOU say. In
gwen space OF time than any man have ever met.
After dinner be would kill o lew fright whales"
Tor us IN good style. As you may suppose they were
all very much surprised at seeing us a., except
themselves, ships rarely come SO Tar south. When
sae ono y our 'nv
When tod we had been into spot Haroor' he
asked where In the thunder we had got our pilot.
On being offered some papers ne guessed ne had
later dates than ours but ms pro, ed 10 be August,
1873, while we had London papers to 18th Novem.
himself from dinner on the plea OF being not
much OF q ship visitor The mate was 0 very good
one OF the scnooners to look Tor land, which they
all believe to exist TO the south OF Heard's
further south). He guessed, however, they all
came back when the scnnapps ran out.
Captain Mares was IN favor o. Royal sound for
the sealers and . nne estuary with July, should
think,
ONE THOUSAND ISLANDS
in it; we laid down about 100 IN our running
survey. Mount Ross is to windward and disperses
to a certain extent the clouds and mist, so that
reasonably fine weather Is enjoyed. The report
was lett IN q cairn at Christmas Harbor.
The climate ut Kergueen may well be compared
ever. were rather more frequent: our average
was one every three days; we were blown OF the
land several times and nad diihcuity IN returning
generay stood about AZ or A degrees, and ranged
from 50 to IS degrees No land birds were found.
The list OF sea birds Is rather long. but the prln-
cipal are three kinds OF abatross four procell-
aria, prlon guils duck puliinarla, graculus,
megalistris, and four pengulns
Very few ASH were caught; most OF them were
small rom the dredge, traw, and surface nets.
The seaers told US that large nsn were TO De caught
ately called the "Rocks OF Despair" but we kept
Thick ioggy weather was experienced on the
passage to Heard's Island, which was reached on
the 5th February. COrlnthian Bay, or Wnlskey Bay,
as it Is called by the sederS from
THE QUANTITY or BOURBON CONSUMED
every year wnen the barque arrives, is the best
ancnorage inc Land Is very Nigh the a NOUN n
1900 ieet high, but 1t GOES not appear to
have been measured by surveyors, and is nearly
always cnveopel IN mist. On one side of the bay
magnificent glacier runs down to the waters
edge and IS said to extend the length OF the island
1t Is the first nave ever seen, but ! cannot at
tempt to describe It's grandeur.
Shows swell on snow amazing to the sky.
And icy mountains high mountains piled,
Seem the shivcring sailors IRON altar
shapeless and WHITE an atmosphere of clouds
On low beach at the head Of the bay, which is
mQCn lTeQueuteu ny bc8 ticpHdubs, Il party VI 1--WE
men were stationed, living in tolerably COMFORT
able wooden huts. They q an ample supply OF
PROVISIONS and coal and were w, wen closhed About
ity OF the Island. We were told at Kcrguelen that
the chances OF being able TO land we're very doubt
fuL but we were toleraOly lucky In that respect
for couple Of hours. There was scarcely any
green on shore. no cabbage and no ducks. The
temperature fell to "a degrees, and that OF the
water TO 80 degrees.
In the morning a very sudden fall OF the barom-
eter and neavy SVEN setting INTO the bay obliged
us 10 be OF. The whaiers coming here have an
chors ana cables double the ordinary size 70 en-
able them to ride out the gales.
That night 1t blew
WHOLE GALE OF WIND
from the northwest GORGE 10Y. The Chal-
lenger was under treble reefed topsas and almost
on her beam ends hall the time. very heavy sea
struck US and washed in two OF the bow ports,
cleared out the SICK bay drencned all the SICK ana
Hooded the main deck. Great seas also broke over
the after bridge. the first time that has occurred
Ice was hrst seen on 11th February IN latitude
81 degrees minutes south. longtime 80 degrees ~
minutes east, when We sounded IN 200 iathoms ana