Page:A Voyage of Discovery and Research in the Southern and Antarctic Regions Vol 2.djvu/355

] she was able to proceed on her voyage to England.

The Philomel came into Port Louis on the 22nd, and remained a few days with us, which afforded me an opportunity of acquainting Captain Sulivan with the exact position of the Burdwood bank, with the view to a more accurate examination than our time had admitted, and which it was of importance to accomplish, on account of the great danger of the loss of spars that vessels are liable to in passing over it, owing to the irregular breaking sea which must occur there during stormy weather.

The Philomel sailed on the 2nd of December in prosecution of the survey of the islands, with which duty Captain Sulivan was charged.

Whilst the greater part of our crew were engaged on board the Governor Halkett, the remainder were employed landing the timber and young trees we had brought away from Hermite Island; the latter amounting to about eight hundred, consisting principally of the deciduous and evergreen beech as timber trees, and others of a more ornamental kind, of shrubby growth, were carefully planted under the protection of the substantial wall that enclosed the burial-ground; and, as nearly all of them put forth fresh buds soon after they were planted, they gave good promise of eventually furnishing these islands with trees which they greatly require.

As we could not spare hands to go cattle-hunting, and fresh beef could only be had from the