for the most part,
shallow with hard stony bottoms. The water is beautifully fresh and
apparently contains no life.

Skua gulls were plentiful and washed themselves, with a great flapping
of wings, in the shallow waters at the edge of the lakes. They paid
particular attention to our dog "Mac," swooping down and attempting to
strike her with their wings. A yelp at intervals came from Mac if they
were successful, though the former, if she were quick enough, would
spring at the bird and retaliate by getting a mouthful of feathers.

We eventually came out on to a point about seven hundred feet high,
overlooking the west coast, and it could be seen that the space between
the base of the hills and the ocean was occupied by a plain which sloped
very gradually to the beach. Here and there across its surface were huge
mounds of earth and rock and, occasionally, a small lakelet fringed with
a dense growth of tussock and Maori cabbage.

A descent was made to explore the place. A fairly large volume of water
flowed rapidly downward by several deep gullies and, coming to the
terrace, cut narrow, sinuous channels which were soon lost to view in
the tussocks. Examination of the watercourses revealed that this tract
was simply a raised beach covered with sodden peat and carrying a rather
coarse vegetation. The ground was decidedly springy and shook to
our tread; moreover, one sank down over the ankles at each step.
Occasionally a more insecure area was encountered, where one of us would
go down to the thighs in the boggy ground.

As the shore approached we came to thick tussock and Maori cabbage, and
the travelling became much rougher. A group of earthy mounds and rock
was sighted some distance away and we decided to reach them and have
our lunch. A nearer view showed us a large opening in one of these
prominences and we scrambled up to examine it.

Inside there was a small cave, high in front but sloping sharply towards
the back for a distance of thirty-five feet. The roof and walls were
blackened by smoke, and spikes and nails driven into crevices were
evidences that the place had once been occupied. Eagle Cave it is called
and its story was afterwards related to us.

Between thirty and forty years ago the schooner 'Eagle', in attempting
to make the island, had been caught in a gale and wrecked on the
rock-bound western coast. As far as can be learned, there were nine men
and a woman on board, all of whom were saved. They lived