KERMADEC ISLANDS EXPEDITION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2856, 9 December 1908, Page 89

KERMADEC ISLANDS EXPEDITION.

THE STOKY OF ITS WOKK.

By T. Iredale.

No. I. [This is the first of a series of articles in irhich Mr T. liedale, a member of the party of New Ze*!«nd scientists who spent nearly the whole of the current year on the Kerxnadecs, will describe the experiences of the expedition and the nature of its work and investigations.] As so much uncertainty exists, at least in the southern portion of New Zealand, as to the whereabouts of the Kermadec Islands, it is perhaps desirable once more to describe the geographical position of the group, s The main, and only inhabited, island (Sunday) lies about 600 miles north-east of Auckland, and as it was upon this island that the expedition sperit the 10 months not much need be said about the other islands included in the group. Macauley Island is about 70 miles direct south from Sunday, from the high land of which it can be seen in fine weather. It is almost about one mile in diameter, ami 700 feet in height. Curtis Island is over 20 miles south-west of Macauley, and is about one quarter the size, and about 450 feet high. Fifty odd miles south of Curtis is a rock known as L'Esperance, which is considered the southernmost portion of the group. Sunday Island is, the crater of a volcano which, at the time we were on it, was quiescent. He island is of volcanic origin, and, as has been shown from the researches of Messrs^T. F. Cheeseman and S. Percy Smith, of comparatively recent origin. 2 here are only two landing-places at present — one in Denham Bay, on th« west coast, and the other at Fishing Rock, on the north coast. From a study of plans of the island we had decided that the best camping place was on the north coast. It appeared from the map that we would be able to more thoroughly explore the island from that point than from Denham ' Bay. We therefore intended to have our packages landed at Fishing Rock, but on acquainting Captain Bollons of this he dissuaded us from this view by pointing out, from personal knowledge of the island, the disadvantages he knew the place possessed. When we saw both landings we were very pleased that Captain Bollons had so advised ue. From the landing place in Denham Bay we had to convey about 150 packages nearly one mile to the camping place. Over hot, loose sand, and under a broiling sub-tropical sun, this was no little matter. From the Fishing Rock to the nearest campingplace on the north coast was, however, nearly two miles, and this route consisted of boulders. Had our packages been landed at Fishing Rock some of them would still have .been there when out stay was up. 4s soon as we were settled in Denham Bay it was found that a subsidiary camp was an absolute necessity on the north coast. Previous to 1900 the only settlers on the island had lived on that portion of the island, and we found the remains of j their houses. One of these we patched up and used as a rendezvous w henever we were out working on the other tide of the island. Before doing this we had to build permanent habitations in Denham Bay> The only available site was about the middle ©f the bay, where a fairly large swamp lay between the sea and the cliffs, which rose almost perpendicularly to the height of about 1000 feet. By digging M-aterholes almost at the edge of this swamp a good supply of water was obtained at a depth of about eight feet. At no other place in Denbam Bay could water be found so near the surface. The only other method by which water could be collected was by storing rain water, and for this we had not sufficient vessels. The lack of water was the greatest drawback we had to contend witb when conducting our exploration of the island. There were three lakes in the crateT, two of large size ; but the water was of a mineral character in two of them, one of them being almost undrinkable. Otherwise, though there were springs in the island, two of iihem- were 80 situated that they were only visited once. Having selected the position for our camp, we had at once to commence building operations. It was decided to erect one big whare wherein to store all such articles other than food, and also to be teed as a dining room and working place.

To this wae attached a kitchen with a big ' chimney. A second smaller whare was built simply for sleeping in. It was then found necessary to build a third whare to store all provisions to prevent depredations by rats. This whare was built on , raised posts, which were encircled by a j long piece of very smooth tin. This was j called by the Maori name of " pataka. ' ' These whares were all built on the same plan. The framework consisted of poutukawa saplings, and the covering was variously of rushes, banana leaves, nikau leaves, or toi-toi. It may here be noted that, though Maori names were constantly used for plants, in the majority of cases the Kermadec Island plants were specifically distinct from the New Zealand ones known by the same name. The saplings had to be cut out of the bnsh and carried over a quarter or half a mile of country not easily traversed. The banana leaves were further distant, -whilst the nikau was rarely used, on account of the distance of the trees from the camp. The rushes had all to be cut out of the swamp, and as this meant wading in up to the knees all day it w»s not exactly a pleasant job. When, completed, the whares kept out all the rain, though they let in all the fresh air, no doors being used and open places for windows. During the winter a window was made up out of spoilt half-plate negatives, so that on wet days work could be done which needed a good light. Whilst building these whares we had to convey all our packages from the land-ing-place to this camp, s-o that progress was not so fast as might be anticipated from the result*. As an instance, it took nearly a week to build the chimney and fireplace alone, and this was hurried, as wet weather set in, and we could not keep a good fire going in the open. Having completed our Denham Bay settlement, we put in order the homestead on the north coast. This was roofed with iron, and spouting conveyed the rain water to two very large tanks — the onlr water supply available on that coast. The sides were, in this case, nikau, as there was plenty of this handy. We had hardly finished all this work when we had to commence our muttonbirding operations. After much discussion it was decided that it would be easier, and also better, to collect and preserve the birds on the north side. This necessitated the conveyance of, a considerable amount of heavy appliances from Denham Bay, but the "result justified our conclusions. The process that was followed was one that had been produced by years of actual experience by the islanders. It is a very complicated one, but the finished article is very superior to the New Zealand mut-ton-bird. This is mainly due to the fact that the Kermadec Island mutton-bird is a very different bird, and has not the same habits as the New Zealand muttonbird. When the preservation of our year's supply of birds was complete, we were free to devote all our energies to the main objects of the expedition. Briefly, these were, to make collections of the fauna and flora, study the geology of the island, and take full meteorological observations. When collecting the fauna, copious field notes were taken, so that the life history of as many of the forms as possible could be worked, whilst the study of the flora was conducted from an ecological standpoint. It is necessary here to remark that previous to this expedition the only work done on the island was the report on the botany of the group by Mr T. F. Cheeseman, after which he drew up a list of the birds frequenting the island. These were published in 18891891, and were the result of a few days' observation when the New Zealand Government steamer Stella formally annexed the group in 1887. When treating of the flora, Mr Cheeseman noted that the plants generally were of superior growth to the same species grown in New Zealand. Consequently the ecological study of the plant life could not fail to produce items of especial value to New Zealand botanists. The study of the bird life was endowed with much more than ordinary interest, due to the fact that one or several species of petrels resorted to the islands for the purpose of breeding on the surface of the ground. This surface breeding habit is almost unique in this order of birds, and in this case is accompanied by peculiar habits and variability of colouration. This will be more fully treated of in a separate article. The island, which we had intended to explore so thoroughly that we expected to know every gully in it, we found most exasperatingly large to work, though so small to look at upon paper. It simply consisted of the crater of a volcano, with two long spurs running one to the north-west and the other to the south-west. The slopes outward were cut into numerous minor spurs and gullies, whilst the inside of the crater was a mass of gullies. In the crater were two large lakes, which had been active as recently as the early seventies. The exact date is unknown, but the nearest would appear to be 1872. At the present time two bare patches show where the most severe damage was done, and all round these the scrub is easily seen to be new. whilst dead, burnt trees can still be seen. At the end of the chief crater lake are holes, from which issue steam, and the water can be heard boiling at a distance of some yards. We dug round one of these holes and converted it into a basin, wherein we boiled eggs, taro, and other vegetables. Although the crater was only about a mile and a quarter across in a straight line, it took the be&t part of three hours to hurry across it. Thus may convey some idea of the ruggedness of the ltland, as a fair praportion of this track was, comparatively speaking, good going. When bad gully country was g;ot into the rate of progress was extraordinarily slow. The country outeide the crater was about as bad as tTie worst inside. It was very early in the year found necessary to i

get back to first principles and go barefooted for the purpose of negotiating the so-called tracks over the island. At first, roots projecting just above the surface of the ground caused much pain to the toes, whilst an orange thorn in the foot was most unpleaeant. Many of the tracks were impassable without aid from both hands, whilst deviation from the tracks consistently caused trouble.

There was, as it is understood in New Zealand, bush, no undergrowth. The obstacles consisted of fallen trees. A huge tree with big and numerous branches would fail across the track, usually in a place where it could not be dodged, and all the branches had to be climbed through. This occurred so often that it was a very common saying, ' ' Oh, by the way, there's a tree across the track in such a place." Small trees, of course, were cut out at once, but these big ones stav«d.

Ferhaps worse than these trees were landslips. A track saving half a mile of hard travelling, would have been made across the scene of a previous landslip. Heavy rains would cause another slip, wiping this track out of existence and prohibiting the formation of another near that place for a long time. Thus, although we apparently had enough time to visit every place on the island, as a matter of fact, there are hundreds of acres of land that have never been trodden. We certainly did get over most of the island, and always made careful searchings, so that we anticipate we shall record the bulk of the land forms living on the island. Nevertheless, we found instances of extreme localisation of forms that caused us much misgiving. Although the island is so small, we could not go far to collect or observe and return the same day. We had, therefore, always to make preparations for camping out at least one night, though as often we camped two. We could never stay away longer, on account of the lack of water. In addition to water and food, we usually carried a camera and collecting apparatus. Those who have worked heavy, bushy and hilly country will be best able to appreciate the work we have done. Very rarely did anyone leave camp with less than a 281b load on, and to get away in any direction the 1000 ft cliffs had to be climbed.

Our food whilst on the island was mainly sub -tropical iii naturfe. The staff of life we made taro, in preference to bread and potatoes. This tropical food we found to be most sustaining, palatable, and easily carried. In addition, we had yams, kumeras, anJ bananas, as well as almost every vegetable that can be grown in Xew Zealand. The cooking bananas especially appealed to all of us, and these, with taro, were our sole food for weeks at times. This was due to desire, not necessity. The only flesh foods were muttonbirds and goat's flesh. The former were the staple, the latter a luxury. Wild goats were fairly abundant, but it necessitated a full day to procure one, and often bare days resulted, not due to lack of goats, but scarcity of animals fit to oat. We could hardly be called vegetarians, but we were closely allied. Fish could be very easily caught whenever the weather was calm. For almost six months, however, in Denham Bay, we were unable to fifeh, so that we did not get the quantity of this food we had anticipated from the reports we had heard. During our stay of 10 months on the island we only 6aw about half-a-dozen vessels, and none called in. Early in the nineteenth century the island was used as a place of call by whalers, but it is now about three yeans since one has called. Some of the vessels we sighted may have been whalers, but they never came near. The last boat we saw was a steamship, which came quite close on the morning of October 27. Just glancing at Denham Bay, she steamed hurriedly north. She interested us very much, and many were the discussions concerning her purpose in thus teasing us. These were partially dispelled by the arrival of the Hinemoa on November 7, and the news of the ill-fated Loch Lomond. We then concluded it must have been the Navua, but we have not yet settled this. The early arrival of the Hinemoa gave us a considerable amount of heavy work at high pressure. We had to pack all our specimens very carefully for travelling, and also to carry all the boxes from our camp to the landing-place. As a matter of fact, we were working from about half-past 4 in the morning until after 10 in the evening, as it was full moon. This was a fine finisli up of our work. (To be continued.)