Page:Castaway on the Auckland Isles (IA castawayonauckla01musg).pdf/25

Rh able to get into it towards the end of the incoming week. This morning I started to go on to the mountain which rises to the N.E. of us, to have a look round. I went alone, as my Norwegian friend, whom I had for a travelling companion on the other island, is sick; he was unable to work yesterday, and Mr. Raynal's legs are not strong enough for travelling yet. In going up I found seal tracks nearly to the top of the mountain, which I reckon is about four miles from the water; and about three miles up I saw a seal. I went about seven or eight miles and got a good view of the eastern part of the island, and I see that there is a sort of small harbour farther to the northward, but I don't suppose that there is any anchorage in it, as the mountains rise perpendicularly from it on both sides to the height of five hundred feet, and a considerable stream empties itself into it at the head; and it would not be fit for a vessel to go into if there was anchorage, as it is straight N.E. and S.W., and very much resembles the N.E. harbour at Campbell's Island, only that it is not so large. It is about three quarters of a mile long, and not more than a cable's length wide. All the mountains to the northward and eastward appear very precipitous, and there are only a few places where it would be possible to get either up or down them. They are covered with long, coarse grass, with here and there a patch of furze or stunted scrub, and there are numerous streams of water running out of them. In fact, the whole top of the mountain on which I stood was one mass of bog, and quite destitute of grass or herbage of any kind, but there is any quantity of granite rock. As I went up I found the travelling tolerably good, as I took the spur of the range, which is always the best; but, on coming back, I came down the face of the mountain, and encountered a number of swamps, through which I had considerable difficulty to get, until I arrived at the seal tracks, which do not go so far up here. They are not more than about a mile from the water, which is about the extent back of the