In the “Glen Anchorage” on the east coast we found shelter and dropped anchor in twelve and a half fathoms.
Just about this time the light began to fail, and in the gathering dusk the island had a most romantic appearance. The glen forms a deep cleft at the back of which the island rises to a height of several thousand feet, marked here and there by bold outstanding masses of rock. Most remarkable of these is the “Apostle,” a lofty solid crag which from its commanding position overlooks and dominates the glen. High up on one side is a long narrow obelisk, rising straight and steep. On the other side facing the harbour is a heavy broad mass with straight, clean-cut face crowned at the top with buttresses resembling a mediæval castle. The glen itself was in black shadow, and the last rays of the setting sun lit up the summit of the island on which was gathering a rolling mass of sombre clouds. The whole setting was very beautiful and held us momentarily spellbound, none caring to speak. Fancy carried thoughts back to the tales of childhood when gloomy keeps and dungeons, knights and fiery dragons—the myths of later years—had not ceased to be haunting realities.
I did not feel altogether at ease in this spot. Fierce winds blowing gustily down the glen caused the ship to swing continually in different directions. There was a considerable swell running in from the sea, and I knew that a change of wind blowing strongly round South East Point would make our position a very uncomfortable one. There was no moon and the night was black as pitch. I had a sharp watch set, and as it was difficult to get good bearings of the land ordered that soundings with the hand lead be taken every half-hour.
I had already arranged for a party to go ashore the next day: Wilkins and Marr to make natural history collections, Douglas, Carr and Argles to do geological and survey work, and Naisbitt, whose steady work on the ship had earned him a run ashore, to act as cook. Wilkins, as being the most experienced of these, was placed in charge. I warned them to be ready at daybreak.
The next day was fortunately fine. I took the boat ashore with Macklin, McIlroy and Kerr at the oars.
At the mouth of the glen there is a narrow beach of large boulders. On the south side a stream runs into the sea. “Archway Rock,” a large rock eighty-five feet high with a tunnel obviously drilled by the running stream, gives an imperfect protection to this side of the beach. A strong surf was running, but I managed to effect a landing under the lee of the rock, and after two journeys succeeded in putting the party ashore with their equipment. This was not accomplished without considerable wetting. A strong wind was blowing down the glen, and I was able to let the boat lie off and with the boat’s crew go ashore also. Owing to the changeable conditions I did not care to go far away from the landing-place, but I sent Macklin up the glen to get a general impression of the higher parts of the island and if possible obtain some photographs, while with the others I explored the parts around the landing-place and the glen.
The scientific party had brought with them two tents, one of which they started to set up. The other was not required, for we found on the flat piece of ground above the beach two huts, one of wood and corrugated iron, the other built of boulders from the beach and thatched with tussock grass. Both of them were in fairly good condition, and showed that the island had been recently inhabited by someone. Mice swarmed; they were very tame and showed little fear of us. All around lay instruments for mineralogical examination; picks, shovels, hand pump and hose, washing pans, mortar and pestle, rope, axes and many other things. In the huts were cooking utensils and a few unopened tins of preserved food, some of which were badly “blown.” I found on one of the shelves a half-used box of matches, and testing one I was surprised to find that it ignited readily. There was a little cave to the right of the huts above which a stone had been affixed, bearing the following inscription:
F. X. Xeigler, R. I. Garden, J. Hagan,
W. Swaine, J. C. Fenton, Cape Town,
1/6/19.
The carving had been done by someone who knew his job for it had been very neatly executed.
At the back of the hut and along the sides of the stream were numerous trenches and excavations, apparently where examinations had been made. One had the impression that a search had been carried out for diamonds or precious metal, but that nothing having materialized the party had just dumped down their tools and decamped.