d equal in size to that of
a goose. The nests were so near each other, and the birds so conscious of
the great strength of their sharp bills, that in going through them the
voyagers were obliged to make use of their seal clubs, to procure
themselves a passage. Even the young ones spouted plentiful mouthfuls of
a not inodorous oil upon them.

The island, which obtained the name of Albatross Island, was a mere mass
of stone, without any other vegetation than a few tufts of coarse grass.
Besides albatrosses, it afforded shelter to a few scores of hair seals,
and the large gull. The latitude was 40 degrees 24 minutes, the longitude
145 degrees 02 minutes.

Several other islands were seen to the southward, and the coast of the
main seemed trending in the same direction. A deep bight lay at the back
of these islands, with points and openings visible in its most distant
part. There was reason to believe, that the sea here had a communication
through into the unexplored bight to the eastward of Three Hummock
Island; in which case the pointed part of the main, whose vegetation bore
so great a resemblance to that of Three Hummock island, would also be an
island. They passed sufficiently near to determine that they were high,
steep, and difficult of access. Their tops and sloping parts were grown
over with either coarse grass or short brush; but not any trees appeared.
The largest might be seven or eight miles in circuit, the smaller were
mere masses of rock of various sizes; and the whole cluster, in number
about twelve, including Three Hummock Island, obtained the name of
Hunter's Isles.

A fresh gale at ENE and a heavy swell from the SW drove the vessel fast
to the southward and westward; and on the 11th, the gale having
moderated, they stretched in for the land, a large extent of which was
indistinctly visible through a light haze that hung about the horizon. At
noon the latitude was 41 degrees 13 minutes, and the longitude 148
degrees 58 minutes. With a fresh breeze at NNE they bore away along the
shore, which trends to the SE by E and was distant three or four miles.

From a shore of beach, with short rocky points at intervals, the land
rose gradually to a considerable height, the aspect of which was barren
and brushy, and the soil sandy. Several short reefs of rocks lay in front
of the beaches, and broke the long swell into a surf of a tremendous
appearance.

Dreading a gale of wind from the west, which was threatening