[[1]]
(Copy)*1
H.M.S. Erebus, April 3d
1843
Cape of Good Hope dist[ant]. 70 miles,
steering for that Port (rec[eive]d July 14.)
To Cha[rle]s Lyell of Kinnordy, Esq[ui]re
My dear Sir,
Before the "Erebus & Terror" quitted the Falklands for Cape Horn, in Sep[tembe]r. of
last year, I took the liberty of addressing to you a letter, which, (as I afterwards
understood on our return to those Islands,) had been forwarded via Rio in
November. In that letter you received my apologies, together with an attempt to
sketch out the previous progress of an Expedition, in which I know you feel
interested.
In writing you twice, I make a left--handed use of my grandfather's motto "bis dat qui
cito dat" *2; to do so is however better, than to let you suppose that my former
neglect arose from any forgetfulness of my father's dear, & my own most kind, friend.
From the Falkland Islands we sailed for the neighborhood[sic] of Cape Horn & on the
19th of Sept[embe]r we anchored in St Martin's Cove, Hermite Island; having first
passed under that noted Cliff, of which Capt[ain] Hall, in my opinion, makes a great
deal too much. All of us were [1 word crossed out, illeg.] indeed much disappointed;
not that Cape Horn is paltry, but it has been too highly vaunted. It is a fine Cliff & no
more; -- steep towards the Sea & with an elevation of about 800 feet. The near
neighborhood[sic] of the snowy mountains of Wollaston, Herschell & Hermite Island,
forming a strong contrast to its black face, have the effect of throwing it forward, so
that it appears to stand in bold relief.
Darwin's account of the Cove in which we lay is exceedingly good; but to him, who
had lately quitted the Northern & more interesting regions of Fuegia, such an isolated
spot as Hermite Island could not possess
[[2]] the attractions which it did to us; with whom everything was new & most
strikingly unlike the weary uniformity of the Falklands. The Trees were the first we
had beheld since leaving New Zealand nearly a year before, & so powerfully does
Time warp one's ideas, that the Timber looked quite large & fine; though no trunk
measured 3 feet through & the height was perfectly insignificant.
To Sailors, or to any person who has read[?] Anson's & Cook's Voyages, Cape Horn
becomes an ideal land of romance, & the very thought that we were close to the
Ultima Thule of so many generations, gave a zest to everything seen. My time was
almost wholly engrossed with the plants, especially the Cryptogamia, & you may
guess how pleased I was to gather the glories of Menzies', Forster's & Banks'
herbaria, growing close to our Ships. The Mosses were truly beautiful & everyday
added something undescribed species to my collection.
Hermite Island & more particularly St Martin's Cove, in which we lay, is a wild &
beautiful little spot; the hills rise at once from the water's edge to a height of 1200-1700 feet, all round; their tops covered with snow & their flanks densely wooded to
an elevation of about 800--1000 feet. As the strata dip to the Northward, the
precipitous sides of Mount Forster looked down on our North side, & M t Kater, on the
South, rises in a cone, so beautifully foreshortened, that the eye (from a distance,
where we lay, of certainly not 1/2 a mile from its summit) runs along its flanks for
1700 f[ee]t;-- all but the very top is seen. Little torrents roar down the gulleys
through the thick trees, &, meeting no beach but steep rocks, are discharged in a
series of cataracts into the Cove. I can liken this Cove to nothing but the upper ends
of one of the Lochs, or salt water arms[?] of the Clyde; they are similar in every
feature; though the same in none.
[[3]] Our feelings were the echo of Darwin's when he visited richer Bays to the
Northward: but of all the comparisons he uses, (not that they are many) none is so
striking & appropriate as that these Islands are the summits of submerged
mountains. The appearance of the land forced this expression simultaneously from
any of us. All the peaked & broken hills are formed of trap rock; but the North end,
towards Maxwell's Harbor[sic], consists of low hills, of a fine binary Granite & very
handsome. A large hill, called Cape Spencer, projecting parallel with & not more
than a few miles to the Northward of the Horn, is also rounded & granitic; veins of a
finer Granite, & also of white & red Quartz, run through the Granite, both to the North
& South Ends, & I could never trace where the Trap met the latter formation. It often
struck me that they pass into one another, for I possess many labelled specimens,
shewing all gradations. My evidence is however chiefly negative, that I could not
anywhere see the boundary of either. Veins of Quartz, (not fissures into which
Quartz infiltrates) certainly traverse both, & the rock was always the finest--grained
at the very tops of the hills. In several places, what I took for an arseniate of Iron,
abounds in the rocks, looking like specks of gold, which caused us to christen
several spots El Dorado, & we amused ourselves with the simplicity of the men,
having told a few of them, with strict injunctions of secrecy, that we had made a
grand discovery of lots of Gold, with which which[sic] they could not fail to load
themselves.
Insects were very scarce: only one of any importance struck me; a Carabus (true)
similar to C. arvensis in color[sic] & brightness; between that species & C. nitens,
with the habits, in all respects, of the latter. This
[[4]] Insect was the first & last, I have seen in the South, which recalled even in the
remotest manner, the Entomology of Scotland. I took several specimens, but it was
scarce, the season being early.
The Natives of Fuegia have been too well described by King, Fitzroy & Darwin to
allow any thing I could say to be in the least interesting. Birds were scarce except a
few Land species, such as Thrushes, a Creeper & Wren, all however, well known.
We had a much finer month of Oct[obe]r than previous Travellers have enjoyed:
nature seemed to be making a strong push against a naturally an inherently bad
climate, for then the plants began to leaf, bud & flower with considerable rapidity, the
snow entirely disappeared from the hills & the whole Cove looked smiling. Towards
the end of the month however, we experienced furious winds from the W. & S. West,
with Williewaws almost as strong as those which assailed us at Kerguelends Land;
Snow fell abundantly (but did not blight the vegetation), & the winds were cold & very
wet. It must have been under such circumstances that Sir Joseph Banks' life
appeareds to have been so threatened, & yet I cannot but think that physical
weakness must have had a great deal to do with this voyager & his companions
becoming so overpowered. It is only on the bare Hill tops that the cold can be much
felt, & there the walking is so easy & the slopes so evident that it is impossible to
lose the way: while, in the woods, again, the trees are such stag--headed things, as
to keep off much (indeed most of) the Snow & keen winds: crawling among them is
certainly most fatiguing but sufficient to impart warmth in the coldest weather. Such
companions however, as the Blacks were, must have proved a serious drawback.
It was not without much regret that I quitted Fuegia. Besides the interesting nature
of the land we visited, I left much undone in
[[5]] Botany, which a few more weeks would have sufficed to complete. The
confidence however, with which we looked forward to receiving letters at Port Louis,
after having been without any for a whole year, made us willing to depart. During our
absence at Cape Horn the "Philomel" Capt[ain]. Sullivan had touched at the
Falklands & sailed again to complete her survey. On her return, I had the pleasure of
making that officer's acquaintance, who is a friend of Mr Darwin's. He told me that
Darwin had been printing much on the Geology of the Beagle's Voyages, & among
other spots, that of the Falklands. He also explained to me his views as to the
elevation of the Quartz mountain chains in parallel waves, distorting the clay slate
which occupies the intervening vallies[sic] so that it is twisted & crup crumpled up in
the most extraordinary manner. The uniformity of the whole surface of these Islands
is exceedingly striking. Almost without exception, every plant of the Falkland Flora
tends to form, more or less, of that Peat which covers the Quartz. This Peat is
homogeneous throughout, as far as I could detect & or learn, & it invariably rests on
a bed of stiff white clay, very plastic, only a few inches thick; & that again, on the
hard Quartzy rocks. From the uniformity of the peat--beds, it may be inferred that
there has been no violence, since the land assumed its present form. In the Quartz
there exist no springs, though water is abundant, infiltrated through the Peat &
resting on the clay trickling down the hills; it is very bad, of course. The clay slate
water rises from springs & is quite good.
Vegetation on the Falklands is scanty, except in Grasses, which abound, both species &
specimens. Some European plants are diffused all over the Islands, in the most
inaccessible spots. They are Veronica serpyllifolia, Poa annua,
[[6]] 3 species of Rumex, Alsine nudia & a few others, introduced originally by the early
Spanish Settlers & which the Wild Cattle & Rabbits have since disseminated all over
the Island. I think the Hawks must have also assisted, for I have found these plants
growing all round the building places of the Birds where neither Goat, Rabbit or
Cattle could have reached: they were doubtless transported, when fresh eaten, in
the stomachs of young rabbits, caught by the Polyborus.
I was unable to trace any sign of elevation of the Coast, by the Sea having retired, or
otherwise. Among my specimens is a piece of light Pumice Stone, brought from one
of the Southern Bays & most likely transported from the Volcanic Regions of the
South Shetlands (at least that is my guess). A good deal of it was said to exist
where my specimen was picked up. -- One other Geological fact, -- To the
Southward of the Falkland Group, about 30 miles South of Beauchene Island, a rock
once existed, laid down as having been seen by Lieut[enant]. Burdwood (I think in
1800). We sailed over the spot & found nothing of it: but our soundings proved that
there was an immense shoal or bank, surrounding the spot, over which, the Sea,
from the shallowness of the water, was very cross & short.
On the 17th of Dec[embe]r we again sailed for our 3d & last Trip to the Ice. Fair winds
brought us quickly to the Bergs, the first of which we saw on the 24 th in lat. 62 1/2 S.- long. 53. W., near Clarence Isl[an]d, but the weather was so thick that we could not
make the Land. Continuing to the Southward we fell in with the Pack Ice in lat.
62.20'. It was Capt[ain] Ross intention to have closed with what the French call
their land (though it was seen by Weddell, Bransfield & others, but not named), &
then to push South in the clear Water which w[oul]d probably exist on the lee side, as
open sea had done, to the East of our formerly discovered land.
On the 28th we made the land, a little South & East of the Cape Francais
[[7]] of M. D'Urville: it was low & undulating, covered with snow to the water's edge.
During the whole of Jan[uar]y we were more or less involved in the Pack, near the
land, the Ice driving very fast with the strong tides & currents. We traced the land
from this point to the S. West, as far as 64.15.S., where it trended to the East &
formed a long point, enclosing a deep Gulf, the por. From this point we traced it
S.W. again for a little way; for the Ice was so packed & the Ships so driven about at
the mercy of the Tides & Currents, with the Ice far too heavy to allow of our pushing
to the Southw[ar]d, that we had to get out the best way we could, early in Feb[ruar] y.
As we proceeded South, the land, quitting the Northern point first made, becomes
higher & more mountainous, immense Glaciers come down to the Sea, in one long
sweep of Ice, many miles in extent, terminating in bluff barriers along the Coast.
Some of the M[oun]t[ain]s, towards the head of the Gulf, were peaked & appeared
Volcanic. Several Islets off the shore, were bare of snow & Ice: low & small, with
most distinct cones on them. In several spots, the continuity of the land could not be
traced, & as our S. Westerly course took us very much parallel to a great deal of M.
D'Urville's track, there can be little doubt of Trinity Land, Palmer's Land, Terre Louis
Philippe & Terre Joinville, being a string of Islands, with small Straits between them.
The higher & more mountainous land to the Southward, again may constitute the
Eastern shore of that extensive land, traced by the intrepid Sealer Biscoe & called
Graham's Land.
Only one opportunity offered of disembarking, & this was on a very Singular spot,
towards the head of the Gulf, on a little island, a few miles from the mainland.
Whereas almost all the land, to the Northw[ar]d, & the high ground W. & S. West of
us, were covered with snow, this little spot, not 4 miles from the N. shores & with the
whole of the long point, running E. & W, forming the S. shore horn of the Bay, were
perfectly bare. The point
[[8]]*3 itself was low, of a brownish color[sic], the Island much redder brown; there did
not seem much cropping rocks upon either, whilst the N. shore was composed of
bold Bluffs & perpendicular Cliffs of what appeared hard black Trap rocks, their
summits covered with immense beds of Snow. In fact, I can compare the
appearance of the Cliffs to nothing so well as a fine Twelfth Cake, supposing a piece
of the Sugar to fall away from the side, exposing the black nucleus & exhibiting at the
same time, the thickness of the upper striation of white sugar. The enormous mass
of the snowy bed appeared full 20 or 30 f[ee]t thick. There were a few horizontal red
streaks on the face of the Cliff, as if it were composed of layers of Trap. The land
might be 2000 f[ee]t high, & the long point to the South[war]d probably not above 600:
its summit was a series of craters, all extinct, but remarkably evident, no one
appearing larger than the others, having somewhat of the subsumed appearance.
The color[sic] was a sort of greyish or leaden--brown, & the whole land seemed
covered with masses of stone, quite destitute of snow & of course equally so from
green vegetation. Nor were there any Streams running down the sides, which were,
however, traversed by innumerable gulleys, anastomosing together.
From the roundness of the angles of land, & the curious narrow fissure like aspect of
the Gulleys, I at first conjectured the surface might be covered with an indurated
Volcanic mud, ejected from the Cones; but after examining the Island & approaching
the land so close as to perceive innumerable fragments of rock, I am inclined to
believe it to be a nucleus of
[[9]] rock, covered with masses of scoriaceous lavas, cemented, a little below the
surface, by perennially frozen water. When, however, I tell you what I saw of the
Island, you will be able to form some idea.
The Island is in lat. 64.12. S. & 57 W., at the head of the Gulf (which may be a
strait) & about midway between the shores. Its base is about 2 miles across & very
nearly circular: it is divided uniformly, from whatever direction it is viewed, into 3
parts, -- viz. a broadly conical base, sloping to the sea, at an angle of about 30
degrees; from this cone rises a perpendicular escarpment, of rocks, about of equal
elevation, with its summit is completely flat & the sides quite steep, except that here &
there, a few gulleys traverse it -- On this tabular top there is a conical Crater, placed
towards the S. West. These 3 portions are of about equal heights & I consider the
whole not to exceed 1000 f[ee]t. -- Capt[ain]. Ross by some observations, makes the
total height 3600 feet! far exceeding the altitude which was deduced by any of the
Officers & as I ascended from the base, to nearly the top of the escarpment of rock, I
feel confident that Capt[ain] R[oss] has over rated it. The sea, all round the Island,
was strewn with Pack & Berg Ice, carried up & down the Gulf (by the tide, if it be a
Gulf,) -- by the currents, if a Strait. Many pieces of Ice were transporting Boulders of
rock from the adjacent shores & were quite ready to deposit them on the Island;
provided they melted, or did not float away elsewhere. I possess a fragment of rock,
picked from off a piece of rock close to the Island; but different from any which I
gathered upon it.
The entire Cove is formed of masses of various Trap rocks, chiefly Slags & all more
or less porous: the upper ones were much heated by the Sun (it was one of the only
warm days we had to the Southw[ar]d) & so jumbled together, greater & small, that
the whole upper stratum was
[[10]] put in motion; -- a few inches below, the rocks were cemented into one solid
mass of Ice. In a very few places, the rock cropped out, & wherever it afforded a
shelter, there was hard Ice. The appearance of Gulleys of water was caused by
breaks in the escarpment of rock above, which formed shoots for the fragments
breaking off above, the portions opposite, being very small, deceive the eye. The
uniformity of the mass of stones, from the size of one's fist, to that of a mans head,
was highly remarkable, as was the constant presence of the frozen conglomerate
below. The escarpment of rock rises regularly & very clean (so to speak) out of this
cone of stones. It is composed of a hard Trap of Lava conglomerate, full of masses
of other rocks, also Volcanic, & abounding with zeolitic chrystals[sic] & some Bort
Botryoidal portions of a mineral.
The beautiful White Petrel was sitting on its eggs in the holes of the Cliff. These
Birds were always in pairs & betrayed their holes by croaking on our approach, but
were very bold in defence of their charge ejecting a red oil from their beaks, which
they sent out by a muscular motion of the throat, so as never to soil their plumage by
the process.
To the base of the Cliff the fragments were much smaller & being closer, the heat
had penetrated farther on the sunny soil & the frozen soil was at a greater depth.
Wherever the Cliff was even partially shaded, it was clad with sheets of Ice & the
sheltered chasms & clefts were perfectly choked with glaciers. You may imagine the
contrast, in walking, or rather scrambling round a Corner; -- the ground was so loose
& the rock overhung so awefully[sic], & you passed from the really hot sun (78 in a
black--bulb Thermometer) to the Icy shade. I got up as high as I could; but, near the
top of the gulley, the place was quite a smooth hard frozen slope, only covered with
a little sand; & there being nothing to hold on by, it was impossible to proceed. The
Crater I could not visit: -- it was regularly conical, save on the S.W. side which
[[11]] was steeper & close to the precipice, its summit is rather obliquely abrupt & the
flanks covered with large stones.
For a long time I felt at a loss to account for the rapid thaw which must have
preceded the dissolving of the Snow, & I arrived at the Conclusion, that it must arise
from the porous nature of the rocks, attracting heat, & absorbing the moisture, the
greater part of which runs off upon, (or is frozen together with,) the substratum of Ice.
I was not aware of any analogous case, till the other morning, when opening your
son, Mr Chas. Lyell's, Principles of Geology, I found that he mentions a similar fact,
with regard to the snow on Mount Etna, which quite confirms my opinion. It is at p.
416, of vol III, 5th Edition, & at the bottom of the page. Were this Island to be thawed,
I conceive that a most remarkable change would take place in its aspect. The
stones of the lower part would all be loosened, & gradually the basal cone would
become broader & broader; at the same time, the bonds of ice, which it is
reasonable to suppose retain many fragments on the face of the precipice together,
would be relaxed, so that the escarpment, in time, would be worn away to the base
of the Cone on the summit, & the entire Island would present a perfect Cone from
the Sea to the very top. The subjoined sketch is a rude, but accurate representation
of its present appearance.
An immense Colony of Penguins & Cormorants were building on the rocks & among
the stones near the water: their young were all hatched & the din & stench of these
Rookeries were intolerable. A few specimens of the White Chionis, Gulls, Tern &
several kinds of Petrel, were the only other Birds seen. Of Insects there were none.
Of Plants, about 5 Lichens 4 Mosses, 5 Seaweeds & an Oscillatoria, all in the most
wretched condition, were dragging out a miserable existence. Although the
temperature of Summer is uniformly low in these latitudes & the sky
[[12]] so constantly clouded, that the Sun's rays have no power, there still are
occasions when these plants are subjected to violent extremes of temperature &
humidity. Certainly for the greater part of the year, they must be covered with snow;
for they were so, only a few days after our visit & snow falls here in Summer, as well
as Winter: & yet on the day we landed, the stones were perfectly hot & the black
bulbed Thermometer indicated (as I said before) 78 in the sun & 40 in the shade.
The average of Jan[uar]y in that neighborhood[sic] was about 33, which leaves a
variation of 45 degrees, to which the plants must have been exposed in one day; -very little in comparison with England or any other climate, but a great deal when we
consider than[sic] 21, only, existed between the max[imum]. & min[imum].
Temperature in the shade during the month. The Dew Point where the plants grew,
was as low as 13. During any other part of the month, it only once fell down to 20
& then the temperature of the air was 25.5. Altogether it was a most singular spot, &
our landing, on the finest day we ever had in the South, rendered these phenomena
the doubly remarkable. During the remainder of the month, the Island was, more or
less, covered with snow.
In stating my own opinion that the height of the hill was much exaggerated, I have no
wish to contradict Capt[ain]. Ross, nor would I like that the circumstance were
known, except among my intimate friends. Had I no other ground to go upon, the
fact of its summit not being covered with perpetual snow, were sufficient to convince
me: -- all the measured altitudes, from the impossibility of perceiving a good base,
differed, some of them more than 1000 feet & Capt[ain]. R[oss]. naturally thinks his
own the best, & acts upon it. Several of us ascended to the perpendicular wall of
rock (he did not) which I call one third of the height, while most others pronounce it
more; & that occupied not
[[13]] quite half an hour; toiling through & slipping back among the loose stones. The
Island is so small that the proportional altitudes of these 3 several & principal stages
could not, easily, be far wrong, viewed as the Island was, during a whole month,
from distances of 4 miles to 30 off & on: & all of us agreed on that point.
In the beginning of February, finding it impracticable to proceed to the Southward, of
East or West, in this longitude, we bore up & quitted the Pack Ice, with the intention
of going to the position of Weddell's track & proceeding down in it. After a dead beat
off the Northern edge of the Pack, we found the Sealer's track firmly blockaded with
Ice, & now that nights were coming on dark, it would have been impossible to take
the Pack, even were it slack enough. Passing along the edge of the Ice, to the
Southward of D'Urville's two attempts, we did not lose sight of it, till the 23 d of
Feb[ruar]y in lat. 61.46'S. -- Long. 19 W. -- Now, though late in the season, we
turned the Ships' heads Southwards, & after encountering many days of fouls winds
& gales, at length, on the 5th March, attained lat. 71.30', Long 15 W., our furthest
South for this year, & in all probability for any future year. We there met a very
heavy Pack, on which a high Sea was running, rendering farther progress utterly out
of the question; especially as the nights were now 8 hours long, & in those regions,
quite dark. Though sorry not to have reached a higher South Latitude, we were not
sorry to be compelled to return. Had we not met the Pack Ice, we should have gone
on, till something else did bring us up. For no one would have accepted as our
excuse our justifiable fear of running foul of Icebergs in the dark nights.
[[14]] April 4th. My dear Sir, we are now entering False Bay (Cape of Good Hope) &
shall soon cast anchor in Simon's Bay, that branch of it where the Naval Stores are
deposited & where the Flag Ship is stationed. I shall close this letter to be ready for
going home by the first opportunity, probably by a Ship now standing in to the Table
Bay from India & which we saw a few hours ago.
I have made a few additions to my collection of Rocks for your son, both at Cape
Horn, the Falklands & more particularly from every Berg, that rock was taken off of, -as also from the Island in 64.12'. I shall be very proud, if Mr C. Lyell considers
these specimens worthy his acceptance. I have also a few Insects (very few), &
some Shells & Birds, if the Miss Lyells will condescend to accept of select from them.
I beg you to present my respectful compliments to Mrs Lyell & the Miss Lyells: as
also to the London branch of your family.
With every wish for your own continued good health, I am truly & respectfully y[ou]rs
| Jos. D. Hooker
ENDNOTES
1. This letter is a 19th Century manuscript copy written in a hand not that of the
original author, Joseph Dalton Hooker. The copy was probably made by Hooker’s
mother or sister so that a version could be circulated amongst family and friends.
2. Latin phrase translating as: "he gives twice, who gives promptly" i.e A gift given
without hesitation is as good as two gifts.
3. This page contains two blank areas indented into the text from the right hand
margin which may have been left as space for copies of illustrations or diagrams
which appear in the original letter. Some illustrations are referenced on page 11. Any
such illustrations have not been transferred to this copy.
Please note that work on this transcript is ongoing. Users are advised to study
electronic image(s) of this document where possible.