ves, in
some places to a height of fifteen hundred feet. These towering cliffs
are clothed with verdure, large trees clinging to their precipitous
sides in a marvellous way. Except at one small bight, known as Denham
Bay, the place is inaccessible, not only from the steepness of its
cliffs, but because, owing to its position, the gigantic swell of the
South Pacific assails those immense bastions with a force and volume
that would destroy instantly any vessel that unfortunately ventured
too near. Denham Bay, however, is in some measure protected by reefs
of scattered boulders, which break the greatest volume of the oncoming
rollers. Within those protecting barriers, with certain winds, it is
possible to effect a landing with caution; but even then no tyro in
boat-handling should venture to do so, as the experiment would almost
certainly be fatal to boat and crew.

We hove-to off the little bay, the waters of which looked placid enough
for a pleasure-party, lowered two boats well furnished with fishing gear
and such other equipment as we thought would be needed, and pulled away
for the landing-place. As we drew near the beach, we found that, in
spite of the hindrance to the ocean swell afforded by the reefs, it
broke upon the beach in rollers of immense size. In order to avoid any
mishap, then, we turned the boats' heads to seaward, and gently backed
towards the beach, until a larger breaker than usual came thundering in.
As it rushed towards us, we pulled lustily to meet it, the lovely craft
rising to its foaming crest like sea-birds. Then, as soon as we were on
its outer slope, we reversed the stroke again, coming in on its mighty
shoulders at racing speed. The instant our keels touched the beach we
all leapt out, and exerting every ounce of strength we possessed, ran
the boats up high and dry before the next roller had time to do
more than hiss harmlessly around our feet. It was a task of uncommon
difficulty, for the shore was wholly composed of loose lava and
pumice-stone grit, into which we sank ankle-deep at every step, besides
being exceedingly steep.

We managed, however, to escape without any mishap, for the drenching
was a boon to our burnt-up skins. Off we started along the level land,
which, as far as I could judge, extended inland for perhaps a mile and
a half by about two miles wide. From this flat shelf the cliffs
rose perpendicularly, as they did from the sea. Up their sides were
innumerable goat-tracks,