Page:Castaway on the Auckland Isles (IA castawayonauckla01musg).pdf/141

Rh miles. Entering the harbour from the north, you pass Enderby Island on the right, the Ocean Island and Ocean Point, until you reach Laurie Harbour, which is not visible to the line of sight, as it runs behind the back of a small wooded peninsula, which projects into the sea. After passing Ocean Island, a ship may anchor in perfect safety in any part, but the upper end of the inlet (Laurie Cove) is the most suitable for ships wanting to heave down or undergo extensive repairs. It is perfectly land-locked, and the steep beach on the southern shore affords the greatest facility for clearing and reloading vessels.' And also—'The buildings are at the head of Laurie Cove, perhaps one of the most beautiful inlets on the wide range of ocean.'

From these brief remarks I at once concluded that the desired haven was a small snug basin, whose waters the fierce winds of the Southern Ocean found it impossible to ruffle. Such a place would indeed be suitable for clearing or discharging, heaving down, repairing, and reloading vessels; and such, in fact, is absolutely necessary, unless in a case of great emergency. But of this anon. I have not yet seen the place with daylight; when I have I shall be better able to describe it. Now (10 ) we are at anchor in two fathoms of water, at the head of what may be termed a lagoon, with a clear drift for an easterly wind of at least 4½ miles. It is about a quarter of a mile wide where we are, and widens to about three-quarters of a mile at the entrance. On three sides of us are hills rising abruptly from the water to the height of about 900 feet. Now I will endeavour to describe the manner in which we reached this place; its name I must omit, for the simple reason that I don't know whether it has one or not; it cannot possibly be Laurie Cove.

The evening was fine and beautifully clear, and with a nice whole-sail breeze and smooth water we beat in amongst the islands, finding clear passages between them, until we had the largest and most northernmost of the small group (its centre or thereabout), which I take to be