The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1875-07-21

Land, or the Island Of Desolation; the
chief object of their visit being to fix upon
= proper station for the observation Of the
approaching Transit of Venus, They staid
at kerguelon's Land for some time, and
the photographs taken of that most extra.
ordinary region are deeply interesting
This large and lonely island in the South
ern Ocean, was discovered las many will
doubtless rememberl in l9Ts, by an at.
venturous French navigator named Ives
Joseph de Kerguelcn Trcmarec, and one
Of the names Of the bold Breton still com.
monty distinguishes the spot, II is situa-
ted in the Southern, or Antarctic Ocean /;
Its southern extremity Cape GeOrgel be-
ing in 1884 south, and 50;ls east, II is
100 miles in length, and SO miles in
breadth; and has been described by some
geographers as consisting Of moscow
cred rocks of primary formation,
"ChriStmas Harbor,H at the northern ex-
,remity Of the island, is large bay or in
let, in the shape Of = horseshoe; the shores
being formed of tiers OF steep rock, rising
in succession Of terraces to the height of
1000 feet. At the head of this vast natu-
raj amphitheatre and spacious bay is a
beach OF fine dark sand. The bold rocky
surface ofthe island is intersected with nu-
merouS small lakes; and there are many
wa,ercourSeS which swell 10 angry tor
rents at every heavy rainfall The north
end Of this "Island of Dissolution, is chief
" OF volcanic origin, several of its emf
nenees presenting 4 striking appearance
when viewed from the surrounding sea.
The trap rock of which these eminences
are severally composed, forms very sin
gular succession ofterraoes. The prevail
ing rock, we are told, is basalt, with vari.
Gus notifications OF amygdaloid. The
general direction of the ranges is from
s W. TO n. F., and the eminenees are
from 500 to $500 feet high. The snow
fingers constantly on the bleak and win
try heights of Kerguelen's Land, on every
point that is 1000 feet above the sea level.
The visitors by the Challenger state that
the whole island is covered with a bright
green low class vegetation; but of this
remarkable popularity, that it includes
only eighteen different species. Not one
Of these productions of Kerguelen's Land
has the least bit Of wood in its stem.
This very singular paucity of species is
understood to be unexampled, for it is
three times less than the number found
even in Spitzbergen. In the whole island
according to Chambers) the flora can be
only brought up to $50, even if We include
the seaweeds of the adjacent waters. The
Pringlea Antiscorbutica tor Kergueleu's
Land Cabbage and the Bolax of the
Falkland Islands cover large and dreary
tracts. The Kerguelen's Land cabbage,
now pretty well known, was much used,
as 4 dinner vegetable, by the men of the
Challenger. This curious provision of
nature for the benefit of nautical visitors,
has been cleverly photographed by one of
the party, and so, too, have Christmas
Harbor, and the Royal Sound, together
with bills, rocks, and other isolated pieces
ofscenery, The Challenger visitors found
lots of wild ducks, but no land animals
except rats and mice, apparently escaped
from whaling ships. There is a sort of
settlement on the banks of the Royal
Sound-just 4 few poor huts. These are
occasionally tenanted by the crews of
three whalers who hang about the island.
The RoyaI Sound Is large, magnificent
laud-locked harboT, with deep water, af-
tording a splendid anchorage. Alba
trosses abound, and make their nests upon
this no mans land" with perfect impu-
nifty, manifesting here aud elsewhere that
tameness and disregard Of the presence of I
man which according to Cowper) was so
shocking to Selkirk on the island of
Juan Fernandez The sight Of these birds
on their island nests lends, nevertheless, a
quaint life and animation to the photo
graphs taken of this region. In the sides
Of rocky elevation at Christmas Harbor,
under base of tertiary basalt, Professor
Thomson saw the trunks Of large trees en- !
bedded in the earth, proving that the eli
nate Of Kerguelen's Land must once have /
been very different from what it Is at pres /
ant He observed also little beds of coal 1
throughout the island. The men ate the
Herguelen's Land cabbage from choice.
7ut not, We are hsPpy to learn, from ne
,essity, as there was not the slightest
ign of seurvy manifested amongst them.
Before We proceed briefly to describe
ONE of the many specimens Of deep sea
anna discovered by the Challenger dur
ng the voyage thus far, glance at some
f the other Out-of-the-way places visited
y her-besides Kerguelen's Land-may
lot be unacceptable to many of our read
X And first, We may observe that in
he Southern Ocean they visited the IS
and known as St. PauFs near Amster-