It runs in a north-westerly direction to within a few miles of the coast, being only separated by a low saddle which I overlooked from a high hill on the north side of the harbor.

The middle arm is separated from the Northern by a peninsula, the hill on it rising up in the shape of a beautiful cone. It is covered with scrub at the base, and grass at the top; the neck of this peninsula being only a few chains wide.

The Middle arm has two round bays at its western extremity, and the large quantity of debris that has been brought down, by the mountain torrents, at the head of them has formed two large flats extending across the bays nearly a mile from the shore, which are uncovered at low water. They are composed of angular fragments of rock and mud. Between the south head of this arm and Masked Island there is a deep bay, which, from the peculiar appearance of the mountain above it, we called "Amphitheatre Cove." The view of this bay from the harbor is strikingly beautiful. From about half way up the hill, which is nearly 2,000 feet in altitude, basaltic columns rise in regular order (with a small intervening space) one over the other, to the top of the hill, which is one colossal mass of basaltic rock. These columns extend with few breaks entirely round the bay, in regular order, and the lowest columns are at least 100 feet in height. They decrease in size towards the top of the mountain, or the elevation gives them the appearance of doing so.

Camp Cove and Masked Island form the north head of the western arm. The former is perfectly landlocked and forms a miniature harbor in Carnley’s Harbor. It affords safe anchorage for vessels of any size, the depth of water ranging from 20 to 4 fathoms. It was here the "Southland" was moored whilst we remained in Carnley’s Harbor.

Masked Island is just off the head of Camp Cove. It is very small, and seems to have been a favorite resort for seals, before they were disturbed by Captain Musgrave’s party.

The western arm is extremely narrow, not exceeding 2½ miles in its broadest part. It is connected with the west coast of the island by a very narrow passage which has a small island in the centre named by Capt. Musgrave "Monumental Island." The tide rushes through this passage with great velocity, rendering it unsafe for any vessel to pass through; and with a strong westerly wind the breakers rushing through such a narrow gap, make the whole passage one sheet of foam, which in a strong gale must be a really magnificent sight.

The south coast of Adam’s Island presents an almost unbroken line of perpendicular cliffs, which extend in a south-westerly direction to the South Cape. Off the west side of this cape a narrow inlet running in a northerly direction ends in an abrupt ravine. The entrance to this inlet is between two immense cliffs, which tower like walls to a height of several hundred feet. I was sorry that the weather prevented us exploring this inlet; not that we should have found any one there, as it would be impossible for anybody to live, or even to gain a footing, so abruptly do the cliffs rise out of the sea; but the trouble would have been amply repaid by the insight we should have gained into the geological formation of the south of Adams’ Island.

From the South Cape, the coast line runs in a north-westerly direction to West Cape. A little to the east of this cape the entrance to the narrow passage running into the western arm commences; on the east side of the entrance are two curious rocks, jet black in colour. They rise like two immense pillars, and mark the entrance of this dangerous passage.

From the West Cape the coast trends to the North-east, almost in a straight line to the north point of the main island, a distance of about twenty-six miles. This coast may well be called precipitous and iron-bound, as the cliffs form a continuous wall, almost without a break, some of them overhanging one another, and attaining an elevation of at least six or seven hundred feet.

Disappointment Island, in lat. 50° 36’ and long. 166°, is situated from three to four miles from the Western shore of the main island. It is not much larger than Enderby Island, but far more abrupt and steep. The lower part of the hill is covered with scrub, the top of it appearing to be grass country. We did not pass near enough to examine it closely, but I think that the hill is covered with the same description of peat as we found on the main land.

The whole of the Auckland Group is mountainous in the extreme. Nowhere did I see a flat of any considerable size, and "the level plains covered with beautiful grass and refreshing verdure" (as quoted by F. P. Shillinglaw, F. R. G. S., the editor of Captain Musgrave’s journal) is all a myth. I ascended to the top of the range on the west side of Rendezvous Harbor, and obtained a good view of the whole of the backbone range of the main island as far as Giant’s Tomb, (so named by Captain Musgrave) the most elevated hill on the island, situated on the north side of Carnley’s Harbor.

The main range commences at Mount Eden, (1325 feet.) This is the most remarkable feature at the north end of the island. The top of the hill is composed of an immense rock which can be seen all the way up the east coast, it was ascended by Mr. Richardson, who describes it as