Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.1): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

NOIR ISLAND PENGUINS. 387 among which we had steered when passing the Agnes Islands and Cape Kempe. " The night was spent in making short boards, under reefed topsails, over the same two miles of ground, as nearly as pos- sible, with tlie lead going, and a thoroughly good look-out. At daylight next morning the wind became strong and the weather thick, with rain, but we made as much sail as we could carry, and worked to windward all the day. In the afternoon it moderated, and before dark we anchored in a very good road- stead, at the east end of Noir Island, sheltered from all winds from N. to S. b. E. (by the west) ; over a clear, sandy bottom ; and with a sheltered cove near us where boats may land easily, and get plenty of wood and water. In working up to the Island, we passed very near a dangerous rock, under water, lying four miles off shore ; and another, near the anchorage. The sea does not break on either of them when there is not much swell. " 27th. A fine day favoured us ; the master went to one part of the island, and Mr. Stokes to another, while I went to a third. Having taken angles at the extreme west point (which ends in a cluster of rocks like needles), I passed quite round the island, and returned to the anchorage after dusk, landing here and there for bearings, in my way. " There is a cove at the south part of the island, where boats would be perfectly safe in any weather, but the entrance is too narrow for decked vessels. The island itself is narrow and long, apparently the top of a ridge of mountains, and formed of sand- stone,* which accounts for the bottom near it being so good, and for the needle-like appearance of the rocks at the west end ; as the sand-stone, being very soft, is continually wearing away by the action of the water. " Multitudes of penguins were swarming together in some parts of the island, among the bushes and ' tussac'f near the shore, having gone there for the purposes of moulting and rear- • Geological Society, No. 238 to 240, (perhaps clay-slate. P.P.K.) t Name given by sealers to a thick rushy kind of grass, which grows near the sea, in these latitudes. 2 c 2