Page:Castaway on the Auckland Isles (IA castawayonauckla01musg).pdf/177

Rh . This augurs well that other fruits and plants may flourish. The island is not high, and is well supplied with water.

There is a narrow entrance to Laurie Harbour, between the west end of Enderby Island and Rose Island, which is only a channel fit for boats. The sea was breaking right across the opening when the 'Erebus' passed; but in calm weather it might be mistaken by strangers for a safe passage.

As is frequently the case, the tidal currents meet off Enderby Island, and on this Sir James Ross says:—'On rounding the north-east cape of Enderby Island, we passed through some strong whirlpools occasioned by the meeting of the tides off the Point, and although we did not at first find soundings with our ordinary hand lines, it is by no means improbable that some shoals or rocky patches may have some influence in producing these strong and dangerous eddies.'

or —Captain Bristow, the discoverer of these islands, who also drew the first sketch of the group, named this, the principal harbour, Laurie Harbour, after the gentleman who first issued this knowledge to the world, in 1810. On a chart of the Western Pacific, by Captain Butler, and published by Mr. Laurie, this sketch will be found. A copy of this chart, by the late Mr. Purdy, presented to Captain Hurd, R.N., was published by the Admiralty in 1823, and these composed our entire knowledge of them until the visits of Captain Sir James Ross and Admiral Dumont D'Urville.

D'Urville has given a rough survey of them, and Captain Sir James Ross has given a survey of the harbour in question, under the name of Rendezvous Harbour; but, following the recognized principle, we have retained the name applied by its discoverer in 1806. Mr. Enderby has given a third appellation, that of Port Ross, which, as it may be in some use, we have also retained. The other names are chiefly as given by Captain Bristow.