THE SOUTHERN ISLANDS

Otago Witness, Issue 2803, 4 December 1907, Page 37

THE SOUTHERN ISLANDS

THE SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITION. AUCKLAND AND CAMPBELL ISLANDS VISITED. iFiox Oub Special Cobbespondent.) BLUFF, November 30. On Campbell Island one can scarcely imagine that one belongs .to the twentieth century. The simplest necessaries of life are all that are obtainable here. Railways, telephones, electric cars, and machinery of all' kinds belong to another „ world than this. Yet, though the winds from out the vast wild recesses of the Pacific rave incessantly and we have a certain amount of rain, sleet, snow, or hail every day, nearly all the party enjoy the life very much. The work is often very hard, but the environment is such a complete change to that of town, to which most of us are accustomed, that it is the truest rest we can have. We left the Bluff in fine weather on November 14 at 9 a.m. A meeting was held as the boat passed the harbour mouth, and an executive committee was elected for each island. Dr Farr was appointed chairman for the Auckland Island section, . and with him are Drs Benham and Cockayne. The executive for Campbell Island i&: — Dr Marshall (chairman), Professor Kirk, and Mr R. M. Laing. _One or two changes were made in tbc personnel of the parties, co that as finally constituted they were as follow: — Auckland Island: — Magnetic observers — Dr Farr and Mr H. D. Cook; zoologists — Professor Benham - and Mr E. Waite ; entomologist, Mr Hudson; botanists— Dr L. Cockayne, Mr J. S. Tennant, Mr Aston (agricultural botany),, and Captain DorrienSmith; geologists— Messrs Speight and Finlayeon; photographer. Mr S. Page; eeeistants — Messrs Collyere and North. In addition to these there is a whaleboat and its crew from -the Bluff. Campbell Islands : —Magnetic party — Messrs Skey and Kidson; zoologists— Dr Chilton, Professor Kirk, and Mr J. B. Mayne; botanists— Mes6rs R. M. Laing and J. Crosby Smithy geologists— Dr P. Marshall and Mr E. Browne; assistant, Mr C. A. Opie. Mr Charles Eyre (of the wrecked chip Dundonald) afterwards joined the party a* cook. After leaving the Bluff the first port of call was Bort Pegasus, in Stewart Island. As we passed Golden Bay the geologists on board pointed out that all the islands in the neighbourhood were flat-topped, this giving proof of recent elevation. The object in calling at Pegasus Inlet was to delay the boat for a few hours co that an arrival might be made at the Snares in the early morning and not in the middle of the night, as would have been the case had we continued our journey without a break. * - At Port Pegasus most of the party had a pleasant run ashore. The boat-landing , is a picturesque ladder some 12ft high, I overhung with ferns and bushes. This leads to the track which communicates with the south arm .of Paterson's Inlet. On this occasion it was not possible, of course, to go any distance inland, but the ever-energetic geologists managed to get as far as some of the outcrops of tin ore. Tho boat left for the Snares at 9 p.m., and arrived there at 6 next morning. There was a moderate swell, a grey sky, drifting mists, and over all the keen, scurrying wind. This, we were told, was exceptionally fine weather for these parts, and by sad experience we learnt later that this statement was only too true. As long as there is not a wild gale blowing, with constant pitiless rain or «leet, the elements are considered favourable by those accustomed to sub-antarctic lands, and 6o we were indeed fortunate not to experience any actual rainfall on the Snares. This group consists of several islands bound by frightful cliffs, in many places some hundreds of feet in height. It' is usual to land only on one island. This is rather more than a mile long, and perhaps three-quarters of a mile in breadth. It k a land of evil odours, harsh cries, and strange sights. For the smells the penguin rookeries, which largely abound upon it, are chiefly responsible, w hile the clamour, , is due to th« cries of the seabirds,* whose outcries Tise loudly above tho noise of the surf. One of our first glimpses of its inhabitants was tho sight of numberless pen- > quins leaping from the sea as they swam like a shoal of miniature porpoises. Then, as the boat reached the landing-place, it was surrounded by sea Hone, who barked their defiance at us. These, animals are somewhat fearsome creatures when seen in their native haunts, so it is scarcely to bo wondered at that a sailor who unexpectedly flaw one rear its head above a clump of bushes, not knowing what it was, called I out: "The sea serpent," and fled precipi- i tatcly It need, however, scarcely bo said ' that this mariner did not belong to the Hinemoa. After landing, the parly i\as soon scattered over the whole island, each engaging in his own special pursuit on the tops of the cliff. The nesting skua gulls were an object of interest to many. Round the nests of these rapacious birds were fragments of mutton birds, diving (petrele, Cape pigeons, and other waifs of tho sea, all in one red carnage blent. If any audacious observer approaohed the nest too closely the parent birds came swooping down over his head in an alarming manner as if to strike. One enthusiastic photographer was, indeed, knocked off his feet by one of these birds. The view from the teg? of these cliffs wa« indeed very *

fine. The great rocks rcee almost perpendicularly from a sea that deepened into indigo at their base, but became greyer and greyer in the distance. So interesting were the sights of the island that many of the naturalists wandered about gazing at the animal life which abounded there,, and forgetting to take notes of what they saw. The Snares were left at nightfall, hidden in a heavy mist of drizzling Tain. Through the night the wind freshened, ' and the heavy sea that accompanied it caused many of the party much discomfort. Port Ross, in the Auckland Islands, was reached early on the morning of the 16th in heavy rain and a -gale of wind. There was much excitement on board when it was seen there was a white flag half-masted at the depot, and a party of men around the building. In a few moments a boat was launched from the Hinemoa, and Captain Bollons was soon ashore. There was much speculation on board as to the ship to which the castaways had belonged, but no correct solution of tbe problem was arrived at. As the boat reached the shore the shipwrecked sailors gave a rousing British cheer, which decided for us what their nationality wag. On the return of the captain to the steamer we learnt that tho unfortunate men were the survivors of the four-masted barque Dundonald. After supplying their immediate wants the Hinemoa continued her trip to Carnley Harbour, at the south end of Auckland Harbour, where she landed half of the scientific party,- who soon constructed for themsevea a wellsheltered camp in the strange rate, forest which covers these islands. _ In the evening she set out on her journey to the Campbell Islands, which 6he reached early on the morning of the 17th. The usual weather prevailed. The heavy wind sent the spindrift flying in sheets over Perseverance Harbour, and was accompanied by furious -squalls of rain. We were assured that this was average weather for these parts, and we were now beginning to believe it. The day was 6pent mostly in pitching camp and making plans for our stay here. Six days were given to unremitting labour, but the general feeling is that the time is far too short to accomplish what is required to be done on these islands. Had •* month been given to the work it would not have been too long. -However, much has been done, and our knowledge of the sub-Ant-arctic islands has been largely added to. Campbell Island is about 7£ miles long, and averages about half that in width. It may at first teem an easy matter to thoroughly explore an island of this eize in 'six days, but when it is remembered that the land is very boggy and peaty, often full of holes, and most treacherous, sometimes covered with tussocks breast high, at other times with a thick scrub, it will he seen that progress over it is by no means easy. Further, "the island is studded with mountains from 1000 ft to 1500 ft high, and over these blows a westerly wind, which is -.often so ' strong that it is almost impossible to "make any headway against it. Travelling, though slow and impeded, is quite practicable, and there is very little indeed of the country which ha 3 not been visited -by 6ome member of the party, in spite of the fact that for the first three days of our stay here the weather was simply deplorable. The fourth day was fine, and the fifth and sixth fine for these parts. An Australian poet, describing one of the sub-Antarctic islands, Eays : Storm, from the pole is the singer that sings to it, Hymns to it, songs of the planet's grey verge. Thunder discloses dark wonderful things to it, Thunder and storm and the dolorous surge. We can- re-echo the sonorous verse with heartfelt sincerity. We have had no thunder; but a terrible dose of "storm from the Pole" and "the dolorous surge." Ac to the scientific work accomplished, it is, of course, too early to speak. The geologists have traversed practically the whole island, and their labour will probably remodel our ideas as to its structure. The magnetic observers have laboured assiduously, and have done much heavy swagging over mountain and bog, often in the face of most adverse conditions. The botanists and zoologists have also been actively engaged in their work. By far tho most interesting form of animal life on Campbell Island for the ordinary observer s the royal albatross. These "magnificent birds, which exhibit the very poetry of motion when in the air, are exceedingly clumsy and slow of gait on land. They are readily caughr ; and appear to be of a very placid disposition. Though so awkward on shore, they are very im- i posing, and it was a most novel sight to j see these giant birds moving slowly and ! sedately among the sheep on the island, as > if they had been accustomed to these in- ' truders for many generations back. Camp- | bell Island is one of the chief breeding grounds of the royal albatross, and during the stay they were met with in largo numbers. Young birds wero, there with some of "the down still upon them, and the old birds were ]U6t arriving during our . stay, and had begun mating. It is said that the&e birds come back to the same nests year after year, but this must bo a . difficult matter to prove. Though the birds were a source of much interest to members of the party, not a single bird owes its death to ye, so we are not likely to suffer the fate of the ancient mariner. j However, we must get back to the story of tlio expedition. The siren of the Hinomoa ivas heard very early on the morning of the 25th away in the offing. She arrived off the camp before 8 o'clock, and camp was struck in drizzling rain. At half-past ♦ in the afternoon a start was made for Auckland Island. A head wind and head eca delayeJ the boat considerably, and at breakfast in the morning scarcely any of the party put in an appearance. About noon Carnley Harbour, in Auckland Island, was reached, and we were glad to learn that all there were well, and had done muoh good work. The magnetic observers had been i-.ble to make complete observations at a number of etatione. chiefly along tho harboar. Th:6 ihey could not have accomplished without the assistance of a whaleboat, which enabled them to carry their heavy instrument from point to point. The geologists, indefatigable ac usual, had covered a great deal of ground, and had made the interesting discovery that there were marked signs of ancient glaciation on the island, and further that the island '< showed distinct evidence of having at one ' time beloneed to a larger land area. The botanists had climbed to the top of Adam's Island, the more southern of the two larger islands, and though net many new plants had been discovered, a number of important and interestinx plant formations had

been noted. The zoologists - found the fauna of Auckland Island much richer than their colleagues had found that of Campbell Island. Mr Hudson obtained a considerable number of forms of insect life, and as the entomology of the Auckland Islands is practically* unknown, they are sure to be of much interest to science, and many of them will undoubtedly prove new. Here, as on the Campbell Islands, the magnificent western cliffs came in for much admiration. On Auckland Island they ri«e in places more than lOGOft vertically from the sea, and wonder was often expressed that gny lives should ever have been saved from the numerous shipwrecks that have occurred upon them. A some what singular phenomenon observed on both islands will give some idea of the force of the prevailiqg westerly winds. Small streams reaching the edge of the cliff do not fall downward, but are blown almost vertically upward as spray into the air. Similarly, small stones thrown over do not tail to tt» Ijottom, but are blown backwards over the head of the man who has thrown them. These frightful cliffs practically run unbroken along the western shores of both groups, and so strong are the winds that it is often impossible to approach them closely. The eastern shores are tbe> more sheltered, therefore, in both groups, and at the Auckland Islands are broken by a number of excellent harbours. In one of these — Norman's Inlet — we spent the night after leaving Caraley Harbour. Most of us got up at a quarter to 4 next morning to go ashore for an hour or two. One of the inducements was to see the southernmost three ferns in the world. A fragment of the frond of a tree fern (Hemitelia Smithii) had been found there on a previous trip of the Hinemoa, but no -botanist had seen the plant from which it had been obtained. The tree ferns were found in abundance on entering the forest, and this remarkable habitat received ample confirmation. At half-past 8 the voyage was continued to the | north end of the island, and after visiting one or two more of the eastern inlets we headed for Port Ross, in the north end of the main island. Here the afternoon was spent in visiting and examining Ewing and Enderby Island, where boats for castaways are 'kept. The night was spent in Erebus Cove, close to the depot where the castaways from the Dundonald were, and next morning the Hinemoa went round to Disappointment Island to do what was needful there, and to bring the body of the mate of the Dundonald round to Port Ross, whore there 'is an old cemetery. The visit to Disappointment Island was most interesting from all nointa of view. An old series of sedimentary rocks was found there, to the delight of the geologists. The bird life proved to be . very varied, and many of the species were nesting. Some, of the botanists found in the plant life confirmation of a pet theory. On the day following the return from Disappointment Island the Hinemoa left with a fair wind for the Bluff. Several hauls with the* bucket' dredge were taken six or eight miles north of Auckland Island, an- 1 then a straight course set for the Bluff, which was reached on .Saturday, about 3 p.m. No account of the trip, however short, would be complete without reference to the kindness received by the scientific, party from all on board the Hinemoa. Captain Bollons, in particular, was ever on the alert to anticipate the wishes and needs of all his passengers, and it was felt that some expression of gratitude on. their part was the least return that could be made to him for his many kind, thoughtful services. An address to him was, .therefore, drawn up, expressing the appreciation of those on board of all that he had done for them. To this was added the signatures of each member of the scientific party. This will be followed by an album containing the best arid most interesting photographs taken during the trip. This, it is hoped, will form a fitting memento of a voyage, which will doubtless long be remembered by all who took part in it, and which is perhaps destined to become historic, not only in the annals of shipwreck, but al. c o in the records of science.