Thisisland，orrathergroupofislands，bearssoutheastfromtheCapeofGoodHope，andisdistanttherefromnearlyeighthundredleagues。Itwasfirstdiscoveredin1772，bytheBarondeKergulen，orKerguelen，aFrenchman，who，thinkingthelandtoformaportionofanextensivesoutherncontinentcarriedhomeinformationtothateffect，whichproducedmuchexcitementatthetime。Thegovernment，takingthematterup，sentthebaronbackinthefollowingyearforthepurposeofgivinghisnewdiscoveryacriticalexamination，whenthemistakewasdiscovered。In1777，CaptainCookfellinwiththesamegroup，andgavetotheprincipalonethenameofDesolationIsland，atitlewhichitcertainlywelldeserves。Uponapproachingtheland，however，thenavigatormightbeinducedtosupposeotherwise，asthesidesofmostofthehills，fromSeptembertoMarch，areclothedwithverybrilliantverdure。Thisdeceitfulappearanceiscausedbyasmallplantresemblingsaxifrage，whichisabundant，growinginlargepatchesonaspeciesofcrumblingmoss。
Besidesthisplantthereisscarcelyasignofvegetationontheisland，ifweexceptsomecoarserankgrassneartheharbor，somelichen，andashrubwhichbearsresemblancetoacabbageshootingintoseed，andwhichhasabitterandacridtaste。
Thefaceofthecountryishilly，althoughnoneofthehillscanbecalledlofty。Theirtopsareperpetuallycoveredwithsnow。Thereareseveralharbors，ofwhichChristmasHarbouristhemostconvenient。ItisthefirsttobemetwithonthenortheastsideoftheislandafterpassingCapeFrancois，whichformsthenorthernshore，and，byitspeculiarshape，servestodistinguishtheharbour。
Itsprojectingpointterminatesinahighrock，throughwhichisalargehole，forminganaturalarch。Theentranceisinlatitude48
degrees40’S。，longitude69degrees6’E。Passinginhere，goodanchoragemaybefoundundertheshelterofseveralsmallislands，whichformasufficientprotectionfromalleasterlywinds。
ProceedingoneastwardlyfromthisanchorageyoucometoWaspBay，attheheadoftheharbour。Thisisasmallbasin，completelylandlocked，intowhichyoucangowithfourfathoms，andfindanchorageinfromtentothree，hardclaybottom。Ashipmightlieherewithherbestboweraheadalltheyearroundwithoutrisk。Tothewestward，attheheadofWaspBay，isasmallstreamofexcellentwater，easilyprocured。
SomesealofthefurandhairspeciesarestilltobefoundonKerguelen’sIsland，andseaelephantsabound。Thefeatheredtribesarediscoveredingreatnumbers。Penguinsareveryplenty，andofthesetherearefourdifferentkinds。Theroyalpenguin，socalledfromitssizeandbeautifulplumage，isthelargest。Theupperpartofthebodyisusuallygray，sometimesofalilactint；theunderportionofthepurestwhiteimaginable。Theheadisofaglossyandmostbrilliantblack，thefeetalso。Thechiefbeautyofplumage，however，consistsintwobroadstripesofagoldcolor，whichpassalongfromtheheadtothebreast。Thebillislong，andeitherpinkorbrightscarlet。Thesebirdswalkerect；withastatelycarriage。
Theycarrytheirheadshighwiththeirwingsdroopingliketwoarms，and，astheirtailsprojectfromtheirbodyinalinewiththelegs，theresemblancetoahumanfigureisverystriking，andwouldbeapttodeceivethespectatoratacasualglanceorinthegloomoftheevening。TheroyalpenguinswhichwemetwithonKerguelen’sLandwereratherlargerthanagoose。Theotherkindsarethemacaroni，thejackass，andtherookerypenguin。Thesearemuchsmaller，lessbeautifulinplumage，anddifferentinotherrespects。
Besidesthepenguinmanyotherbirdsareheretobefound，amongwhichmaybementionedsea-hens，bluepeterels，teal，ducks，PortEgmonthens，shags，Capepigeons，thenelly，seaswallows，terns，seagulls，MotherCarey’schickens，MotherCarey’sgeese，orthegreatpeterel，and，lastly，thealbatross。
Thegreatpeterelisaslargeasthecommonalbatross，andiscarnivorous。Itisfrequentlycalledthebreak-bones，orospreypeterel。Theyarenotatallshy，and，whenproperlycooked，arepalatablefood。Inflyingtheysometimessailveryclosetothesurfaceofthewater，withthewingsexpanded，withoutappearingtomovethemintheleastdegree，ormakeanyexertionwiththemwhatever。
ThealbatrossisoneofthelargestandfiercestoftheSouthSeabirds。Itisofthegullspecies，andtakesitspreyonthewing，nevercomingonlandexceptforthepurposeofbreeding。Betweenthisbirdandthepenguinthemostsingularfriendshipexists。Theirnestsareconstructedwithgreatuniformityuponaplanconcertedbetweenthetwospecies-thatofthealbatrossbeingplacedinthecentreofalittlesquareformedbythenestsoffourpenguins。Navigatorshaveagreedincallinganassemblageofsuchencampmentsarookery。Theserookerieshavebeenoftendescribed，butasmyreadersmaynotallhaveseenthesedescriptions，andasIshallhaveoccasionhereaftertospeakofthepenguinandalbatross，itwillnotbeamisstosaysomethinghereoftheirmodeofbuildingandliving。
Whentheseasonforincubationarrives，thebirdsassembleinvastnumbers，andforsomedaysappeartobedeliberatinguponthepropercoursetobepursued。Atlengththeyproceedtoaction。Alevelpieceofgroundisselected，ofsuitableextent，usuallycomprisingthreeorfouracres，andsituatedasneartheseaaspossible，beingstillbeyonditsreach。Thespotischosenwithreferencetoitsevennessofsurface，andthatispreferredwhichistheleastencumberedwithstones。Thismatterbeingarranged，thebirdsproceed，withoneaccord，andactuatedapparentlybyonemind，totraceout，withmathematicalaccuracy，eitherasquareorotherparallelogram，asmaybestsuitthenatureoftheground，andofjustsufficientsizetoaccommodateeasilyallthebirdsassembled，andnomore-inthisparticularseemingdetermineduponpreventingtheaccessoffuturestragglerswhohavenotparticipatedinthelaboroftheencampment。
Onesideoftheplacethusmarkedoutrunsparallelwiththewater’sedge，andisleftopenforingressoregress。
Havingdefinedthelimitsoftherookery，thecolonynowbegintoclearitofeveryspeciesofrubbish，pickingupstonebystone，andcarryingthemoutsideofthelines，andclosebythem，soastoformawallonthethreeinlandsides。Justwithinthiswallaperfectlylevelandsmoothwalkisformed，fromsixtoeightfeetwide，andextendingaroundtheencampment-thusservingthepurposeofageneralpromenade。
Thenextprocessistopartitionoutthewholeareaintosmallsquaresexactlyequalinsize。Thisisdonebyformingnarrowpaths，verysmooth，andcrossingeachotheratrightanglesthroughouttheentireextentoftherookery。Ateachintersectionofthesepathsthenestofanalbatrossisconstructed，andapenguin’snestinthecentreofeachsquare-thuseverypenguinissurroundedbyfouralbatrosses，andeachalbatrossbyalikenumberofpenguins。Thepenguin’snestconsistsofaholeintheearth，veryshallow，beingonlyjustofsufficientdepthtokeephersingleeggfromrolling。
Thealbatrossissomewhatlesssimpleinherarrangements，erectingahillockaboutafoothighandtwoindiameter。Thisismadeofearth，seaweed，andshells。Onitssummitshebuildshernest。
Thebirdstakeespecialcarenevertoleavetheirnestsunoccupiedforaninstantduringtheperiodofincubation，or，indeed，untiltheyoungprogenyaresufficientlystrongtotakecareofthemselves。Whilethemaleisabsentatseainsearchoffood，thefemaleremainsonduty，anditisonlyuponthereturnofherpartnerthatsheventuresabroad。Theeggsareneverleftuncoveredatall
whileonebirdleavesthenesttheothernestlinginbyitsside。
Thisprecautionisrenderednecessarybythethievingpropensitiesprevalentintherookery，theinhabitantsmakingnoscrupletopurloineachother’seggsateverygoodopportunity。
Althoughtherearesomerookeriesinwhichthepenguinandalbatrossarethesolepopulation，yetinmostofthemavarietyofoceanicbirdsaretobemetwith，enjoyingalltheprivilegesofcitizenship，andscatteringtheirnestshereandthere，wherevertheycanfindroom，neverinterfering，however，withthestationsofthelargerspecies。Theappearanceofsuchencampments，whenseenfromadistance，isexceedinglysingular。Thewholeatmospherejustabovethesettlementisdarkenedwiththeimmensenumberofthealbatrossmingledwiththesmallertribeswhicharecontinuallyhoveringoverit，eithergoingtotheoceanorreturninghome。Atthesametimeacrowdofpenguinsaretobeobserved，somepassingtoandfrointhenarrowalleys，andsomemarchingwiththemilitarystrutsopeculiartothem，aroundthegeneralpromenadegroundwhichencirclestherookery。Inshort，surveyitaswewill，nothingcanbemoreastonishingthanthespiritofreflectionevincedbythesefeatheredbeings，andnothingsurelycanbebettercalculatedtoelicitreflectionineverywell-regulatedhumanintellect。
OnthemorningafterourarrivalinChristmasHarbourthechiefmate，Mr。Patterson，tooktheboats，andalthoughitwassomewhatearlyintheseasonwentinsearchofseal，leavingthecaptainandayoungrelationofhisonapointofbarrenlandtothewestward，theyhavingsomebusiness，whosenatureIcouldnotascertain，totransactintheinterioroftheisland。CaptainGuytookwithhimabottle，inwhichwasasealedletter，andmadehiswayfromthepointonwhichhewassetonshoretowardoneofthehighestpeaksintheplace。Itisprobablethathisdesignwastoleavetheletteronthatheightforsomevesselwhichheexpectedtocomeafterhim。AssoonaswelostsightofhimweproceededPetersandmyselfbeinginthemate’sboatonourcruisearoundthecoast，lookingforseal。Inthisbusinesswewereoccupiedaboutthreeweeks，examiningwithgreatcareeverynookandcorner，notonlyofKerguelen’sLand，butoftheseveralsmallislandsinthevicinity。Ourlabours，however，werenotcrownedwithanyimportantsuccess。Wesawagreatmanyfurseal，buttheywereexceedinglyshy，andwiththegreatestexertions，wecouldonlyprocurethreehundredandfiftyskinsinall。Seaelephantswereabundant，especiallyonthewesterncoastofthemainland，butofthesewekilledonlytwenty，andthiswithgreatdifficulty。Onthesmallerislandswediscoveredagoodmanyofthehairseal，butdidnotmolestthem。Wereturnedtotheschooner：ontheeleventh，wherewefoundCaptainGuyandhisnephew，whogaveaverybadaccountoftheinterior，representingitasoneofthemostdrearyandutterlybarrencountriesintheworld。Theyhadremainedtwonightsontheisland，owingtosomemisunderstanding，onthepartofthesecondmate，inregardtothesendingajollyboatfromtheschoonertotakethemoff。
ONthetwelfthwemadesailfromChristmasHarbourretracingourwaytothewestward，andleavingMarion’sIsland，oneofCrozet’sgroup，onthelarboard。WeafterwardpassedPrinceEdward’sIsland，leavingitalsoonourleft，then，steeringmoretothenorthward，made，infifteendays，theislandsofTristand’Acunha，inlatitude37degrees8’S，longitude12degrees8’W。
Thisgroup，nowsowellknown，andwhichconsistsofthreecircularislands，wasfirstdiscoveredbythePortuguese，andwasvisitedafterwardbytheDutchin1643，andbytheFrenchin1767。
Thethreeislandstogetherformatriangle，andaredistantfromeachotherabouttenmiles，therebeingfineopenpassagesbetween。Thelandinallofthemisveryhigh，especiallyinTristand’Acunha，properlysocalled。Thisisthelargestofthegroup，beingfifteenmilesincircumference，andsoelevatedthatitcanbeseeninclearweatheratthedistanceofeightyorninetymiles。Apartofthelandtowardthenorthrisesmorethanathousandfeetperpendicularlyfromthesea。Atablelandatthisheightextendsbacknearlytothecentreoftheisland，andfromthistablelandarisesaloftyconelikethatofTeneriffe。Thelowerhalfofthisconeisclothedwithtreesofgoodsize，buttheupperregionisbarrenrock，usuallyhiddenamongtheclouds，andcoveredwithsnowduringthegreaterpartoftheyear。Therearenoshoalsorotherdangersabouttheisland，theshoresbeingremarkablyboldandthewaterdeep。Onthenorthwesterncoastisabay，withabeachofblacksandwherealandingwithboatscanbeeasilyeffected，providedtherebeasoutherlywind。Plentyofexcellentwatermayherebereadilyprocured；alsocodandotherfishmaybetakenwithhookandline。
Thenextislandinpointofsize，andthemostwestwardlyofthegroup，isthatcalledtheInaccessible。Itsprecisesituationis37
degrees17’S。latitude，longitude12degrees24’W。Itissevenoreightmilesincircumference，andonallsidespresentsaforbiddingandprecipitousaspect。Itstopisperfectlyflat，andthewholeregionissterile，nothinggrowinguponitexceptafewstuntedshrubs。
NightingaleIsland，thesmallestandmostsoutherly，isinlatitude37degrees26’S。，longitude12degrees12’W。Offitssouthernextremityisahighledgeofrockyislets；afewalsoofasimilarappearanceareseentothenortheast。Thegroundisirregularandsterile，andadeepvalleypartiallyseparatesit。
Theshoresoftheseislandsabound，intheproperseason，withsealions，seaelephants，thehairandfurseal，togetherwithagreatvarietyofoceanicbirds。Whalesarealsoplentyintheirvicinity。Owingtotheeasewithwhichthesevariousanimalswerehereformerlytaken，thegrouphasbeenmuchvisitedsinceitsdiscovery。TheDutchandFrenchfrequenteditataveryearlyperiod。
In1790，CaptainPatten，oftheshipIndustry，ofPhiladelphia，madeTristand’Acunha，whereheremainedsevenmonthsfromAugust，1790，toApril，1791forthepurposeofcollectingsealskins。Inthistimehegatherednolessthanfivethousandsixhundred，andsaysthathewouldhavehadnodifficultyinloadingalargeshipwithoilinthreeweeks。Uponhisarrivalhefoundnoquadrupeds，withtheexceptionofafewwildgoats；theislandnowaboundswithallourmostvaluabledomesticanimals，whichhavebeenintroducedbysubsequentnavigators。
IbelieveitwasnotlongafterCaptainPatten’svisitthatCaptainColquhoun，oftheAmericanbrigBetsey，touchedatthelargestoftheislandsforthepurposeofrefreshment。Heplantedonions，potatoes，cabbages，andagreatmanyothervegetables，anabundanceofallwhichisnowtobemetwith。
In1811，aCaptainHaywood，intheNereus，visitedTristan。HefoundtherethreeAmericans，whowereresidingupontheislandtopreparesealskinsandoil。OneofthesemenwasnamedJonathanLambert，andhecalledhimselfthesovereignofthecountry。Hehadclearedandcultivatedaboutsixtyacresofland，andturnedhisattentiontoraisingthecoffee-plantandsugar-cane，withwhichhehadbeenfurnishedbytheAmericanMinisteratRioJaneiro。Thissettlement，however，wasfinallyabandoned，andin1817theislandsweretakenpossessionofbytheBritishGovernment，whosentadetachmentforthatpurposefromtheCapeofGoodHope。Theydidnot，however，retainthemlong；but，upontheevacuationofthecountryasaBritishpossession，twoorthreeEnglishfamiliestookuptheirresidencethereindependentlyoftheGovernment。Onthetwenty-fifthofMarch，1824，theBerwick，CaptainJeffrey，fromLondontoVanDiemen’sLand，arrivedattheplace，wheretheyfoundanEnglishmanofthenameofGlass，formerlyacorporalintheBritishartillery。