. The name by which they are popularly known refers to their
elephantine proportions and to the fact that, in the case of the old
males, the nasal regions are enormously developed, expanding when in
a state of excitement to form a short, trunk-like appendage. They have
been recorded up to twenty feet in length, and such a specimen would
weigh about four tons.

Arriving on the 'Aurora' in the evening, we learnt that the ship's
company had had an adventure which might have been most serious. It
appeared that after dropping us at the entrance to Caroline Cove,
the ship was allowed to drift out to sea under the influence of the
off-shore wind. When about one-third of a mile north-west of the
entrance, a violent shock was felt, and she slid over a rock which rose
up out of deep water to within about fourteen feet of high-water level;
no sign of it appearing on the surface on account of the tranquil state
of the sea. Much apprehension was felt for the hull, but as no serious
leak started, the escape was considered a fortunate one. A few soundings
had been made proving a depth of four hundred fathoms within one and a
half miles of the land.

A course was now set for the northern end of the island.
Dangerous-looking reefs ran out from many headlands, and cascades of
water could be seen falling hundreds of feet from the highlands to the
narrow coastal flats.

The anchorage most used is that known as North-East Bay, lying on the
eastern side of a low spit joining the main mass of the island, to an
almost isolated outpost in the form of a flat-topped hill--Wireless
Hill--some three-quarters of a mile farther north. It is practically an
open roadstead, but, as the prevailing winds blow on to the other side
of the island, quiet water can be nearly always expected.

However, when we arrived at North-East Bay on the morning following our
adventure; a stiff south-east breeze was blowing, and the wash on the
beach put landing out of the question. Captain Davis ran in as near
the coast as he could safely venture and dropped anchor, pending the
moderation of the wind.

On the leeward slopes of a low ridge, pushing itself out on to the
southern extremity of the spit, could be seen two small huts, but
no sign of human life. This was not surprising as it was only seven
o'clock. Below the huts, upon low surf-covered rocks running out from
the beach, lay a small schooner partly broken up and evidently a recent
victim. A mile to the south