assist us in
climbing, which must be done with extreme caution, for the least slip or
false step would dash one to atoms on the rocks below. By keeping our
eyes constantly looking upwards, and continuing to haul ourselves up, by
catching firm hold on this grass, after an hour's painful toil we gained
the summit, where we found ourselves on an extended plain, of several
miles expanse, which terminates in the peak, composed of dark grey lava,
bare and frightful to behold. We proceeded towards it, the plain
gradually rising, but the walking was most fatiguing, over strong rank
grass and fern several feet high, with holes concealed under the roots
in such a way, that no possible caution could prevent our occasionally
falling down into one or other of them, and entirely disappearing, which
caused a boisterous laugh amongst the rest; but it frequently happened,
while one was making merry at the expense of another, down sunk the
laugher himself. A death-like stillness prevailed in these high regions,
and, to my ear, our voices had a strange, unnatural echo, and I fancied
our forms appeared gigantic, whilst the air was piercing cold. The
prospect was altogether very sublime, and filled the mind with awe! On
the one side, the boundless horizon, heaped up with clouds of silvery
brightness, contrasted with some of darker hue, enveloping us in their
vapour, and, passing rapidly away, gave us only casual glances of the
landscape; and, on the other hand, the sterile and cindery peak, with
its venerable head, partly capped with clouds, partly revealing great
patches of red cinders, or lava, intermingled with the black rock,
produced a most extraordinary and dismal effect. It seemed as though it
were still actually burning, to heighten the sublimity of the scene. The
huge albatross appeared here to dread no interloper or enemy; for their
young were on the ground completely uncovered, and the old ones were
stalking around them. This bird is the largest of the aquatic tribe; and
its plumage is of a most delicate white, excepting the back and the tops
of its wings, which are grey: they lay but one egg, on the ground, where
they form a kind of nest, by scraping the earth round it. After the
young one is hatched, it has to remain a year before it can fly; it is
entirely white, and covered with a woolly down, which is very beautiful.
As we approached them, they clapped their beaks, with a very quick
motion, which made a great noise. This, and