THE CROZET ISLANDS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2105, 22 November 1880, Page 2

THE CROZET ISLANDS.

The Orozet Islands hare now been thoroughly surveyed, and the observations of Captain J. N. East, of the Comes, have recently been issued by the Admiralty in the form of a report. He took his vessel out there by the 3rd of March, having on board as pilot Benjamin Oriths, one of the few individuals having any previous acquaintance with the group. They first landed at Hog Island, which they report as rising into small peaks, one of them 2000 ft. high. The western side is precipitous, the eastern goes down in a bend, and there is but one landing place on the north-east side. It is, too, thirteen miles north-west of the position originally given. The island is well inhabited, sea elephants, seals, rabbits, ducks, teal, albatross, penguins abounding; but there was not a symptom that any creature of a different sort had set foot on it for years. Off the north-east part of the island the Comus came to anchor in twelve fathoms of water, and the holding ground is said to be good, even during the prevailing winds. “ The Apostles Islands,” proceeds the report, are two in number, with several outlying pinnacle rocks. The north-east Island is the largest, and is about 850 feet high. Here there are two spots for landing, when the water is smooth. Here it was the landing from the Strathmore took place. The crew of the Comus saw the cairns they had built. “ Penguin Island,” the report goes on, is about-twenty-two miles south by west of Hog Island. It is about 1000 feet high, has a barren and volcanic appearance, and is quite inaccessible. There is a rock, about 250 ft. high, off its north-east point, appearing as though it bad been cut off from the island. Sea elephants, ducks and guinea fowl abounded on the islands. Dart Island is 6000 feet high, and permanently covered with snow, and heavy waterfalls tumble over the cliffs into the ee >. It is thus that Captain East sums up —“ In the event of shipwreck in the vicinity of these islands, the boats should make either for the east sides of Hog or Possession Islands, or for the north side of Dart Island, where they may find landing and plenty of food.”