Volume 14 Australasia - dana ward's homepage

KEEGUELEX.—HEAED. 63Indian Ocean. The lijcllin, another flowering phmt, resembles an Andean growth,and three species also supposed to be indigenous in Kerguelen are so like theircongeners in Tierra del Fuego, that botanists are inclined to regard them as simplevarieties ; lastly, one of the local growths is of Australian origin. But on thewhole, the Kerguelen flora is most akin to the Fuegiau, a fact doubtless due to themarine currents setting steadily eastwards.The only bii'd peexiliar to Kerguelen and the Marion and Crozet groups is thechionis minor, about the size of a pigeon, and not unlike an allied species commonto the Falkland Islands and Tierra del Fuego. There are no land mammals,reptiles, or batrachians, and the fur-bearing seals and other cetaceans stiU swarmingin the Kerguelen waters at the beginning of the century have already becomerare. In 1843 over five hundred whalers found occupation in these seas, but in18~4 not more than five or sis were employed in the capture of whales. Theotters are also threatened with extermination, and have already become so scarcethat they are no longer regularly hunted. But a number of vessels are stUlengaged in the capture of the huge sea-lions, one of whom yields as much as aton of oU.These and other seals still find some shelter from their human enemiesin the bays along the west coast, whither the fury of the elements prevents thefishers from following them. Some of these fishers, who had collected a vastquantity of oil on the south-west point of Kerguelen, had to wait for years beforea single ship ventured through the breakers to take in a cargo, and growingimpatient they at last set fire to their whole stock, whence the name of BonfireBeach given to this part of the coast.The most frequented haven is Christinas Harbour, at the north-west extremity ofthe island, the position of which is indicated at a distance by a basalt rockassuming the apjjearance of an imposing triumphal arch.MacDoxai.d and Heard Islands.MacDonald, lying to the south-east of Kerguelen, is a mere rock fringed bybreakers and inaccessible to fishers. But Heard is visited both by whalers andseal-hunters. Except at the black lava headlands, this island is entirely coveredby a white mantle, two vast snow-fields concealing the hills round about Big Ben,the chief summit, which is said to be loftier than Mount Ross in Kerguelen. Butalthough supposed to be over 6,000 feet high it was completely invisible at thetime of the Chalknrjer expedition, all the heights above 1,000 feet being wrappedin dense fog. The climate of Heard is even more inclement and stormy than thatof Kerguelen. The fierce south-east polar winds prevail very generally in thesesouthern latitudes, and are miich dreaded bv mariners.