Three Years in Tristan da Cunha Part 24

_Thursday, April_ 8,--We cannot feel thankful enough that we were given pa.s.sages on this steamer. Mr. Keytel is glad too, and has been able to learn a great deal about whaling from the captain, with whom he talks by the hour. We cannot say too much of Captain Mitchelsen's kindness and generosity. When Mr. Keytel asked him what we were indebted to him, he would hear of no payment, though Mr. Keytel urged it again and again. At last he said, "If you like you may pay the steward for the food, but nothing more."

_Royal Hotel, Cape Town, Sat.u.r.day, April_ 10, 1909. Here we are, and so thankful to be on sh.o.r.e. Thursday, our last night on board, was rather a bad one; the ship rolled horribly, on account of slackening speed, and scarcely any one slept. We were astir betimes, and much enjoyed the beauty of the outline of coast. It was delightful to feast our eyes on the bright sunshiny sh.o.r.e dotted with red-roofed houses. It was a beautiful day, and Table Mountain and the town looked very fine as we rounded in. We anch.o.r.ed in the Bay, and soon plying round us were numerous little motor-launches.

The Port Doctor did not appear till long after the other officials because, I suppose, it was Good Friday, and then had to go back for papers. In consequence of this delay we did not leave the ship until the afternoon. The poor dogs were not even so fortunate, having to be left behind till the morrow to be pa.s.sed by the veterinary surgeon. We embarked on one of the launches, and I must say it was delightful to step ash.o.r.e and to enter what seemed to us almost a new world.

That evening we found our way to the cathedral, and I think we could from our hearts give thanks for all G.o.d's goodness to us. When we started forth four years ago I rather dreaded facing the world, but all along our path we have met with the greatest kindness and have made many new friends. In all we see G.o.d's guiding Hand; and very especially did the arrival of the steamer at the very time we would have chosen make us feel conscious of G.o.d's loving kindness and tender care.

APPENDICES

_A_. THE FAUNA AND FLORA OF TRISTAN

There is nothing peculiar to Tristan in either its Fauna or Flora. Of the birds those we saw or heard most of were:--

1. The Gony, the Wandering Albatross (_Diomedia exulans_). A few lay on Inaccessible but none on Tristan.

2. The "Pe-o," the Sooty Albatross (_Phoebetria fuliginosa_). Comes to nest in August, leaves in April.

3. The Molly, Yellow-nosed Mollyhawk (_Thala.s.sogeron chlororhyncus_).

Comes to nest in August, leaves in April.

4. The Sea-hen, the Southern Skua (_Stercorarius antarcticus_). Is in all the year, begins to lay in August.

5. The Black Eaglet, the Long-winged Fulmar (_Aestrelata Macroptera_).

Comes in to moult in May; lays first week in July.

6. The White-breasted Black Eaglet. Lays in November.

7. The King-bird, the Kerguelen Tern (_Sterna Vittata_). Comes in September, and lays in November.

8. The Wood-pigeon, the "Noddy" (_Anous Stolidus_). Comes in September and lays in November.

9. The Night-bird, the Broad-billed Blue Petrel (_Prion Vittatus_).

Comes in July and lays in September.

10. The "Pediunker," lays in May and June; it is like a Petrel. We think it must be the Shearwater (_Profinus Cinereus_); of which we were told at the South African Museum, Cape Town, that it frequents Scotland, and that its nesting-place was unknown until Mr. Keytel brought a specimen of it and of its eggs from Tristan in 1909.

11. The Starchy, the Tristan Thrush (_Nesocictela_). A land bird. No song.

12. The Finch, the Tristan Finch (_Nesospiza Acunhae_). A land bird.

13. The Penguin, the Rock-hopper Penguin (_Catarrhactes Chrysocome_).

Comes to moult in March; comes again in August and lays in September. Last year's young ones come to moult in December.

The first name is the island name. "Pe-o" and "Pediunker" are attempts at spelling.

The fish we saw at Tristan were:---

1. Whale, Southern Right Whale (_Balaena Australis_).

2. Sea-elephant.

3. Seal (_Arctocephalus pusillus_).

4. Shark.

5. Blue-fish (_Perca antarctica_).

6. Snoek (_Thyrsites atun_).

7. Mackerel (_s...o...b..r Pneumatophorus_).

8. Five-finger (_Chilodactylus Fasciatus lac_).

9. Soldier-fish.

10. Craw-fish.

11. Clip-fish.

Of the trees and plants those we most frequently met with were:---

1. The Island Tree (_Phylica nitida_). Found also on the islands Gough, Amsterdam, Bourbon, and Mauritius.

2. Tussock (_Spartina Arundinacea_); distinct from the real Tussock (_Poa Flabellater_). "The geographical distribution of this gra.s.s is remarkable, being confined to the Tristan group and Gough Island, and the Islands of St. Paul and Amsterdam in the Indian Ocean, 3,000 miles distant" (Blue-book).

3. Flax.

4. Willow, a few trees on the settlement only.

5. Ferns and Mosses.

6. p.r.i.c.kle-bush, Gorse. A few bushes only near the houses.

7. Crowberry (_Empetrum nigrum_).

8. Nertera, bearing scarlet berries.

9. Blackberry. Scanty.

10. Cape-gooseberry. Once plentiful, now scarce.

11. Tea-plant (_Chenopodium Tomentosum_).

12. Wild Celery.

13. Large Field-Daisy.

14. Geranium (_Pelargonium Australe_).

15. Convolvolus.

16. Sunflower (_Oxalis_).

17. b.u.t.tercup. One patch only near Betty's house.

_B_. THE WEATHER

From Feb. 15, 1908, to March 31, 1909, the lowest temperature as recorded in a Stevenson's screen was 37'9 degrees (Aug. 16, 1908), and the highest 77'8 (March 14, 1909).

The Rainfall and Sunshine records are as follows:--

Rainfall Sun, all Sun, part Sun day of the day unrecorded

1907 inches days days days

June 4-30 4'990 5 19 0 July 9'635 4 18 3 August 8'020 4 21 0 September 7'465 7 11 1 October 7'660 9 13 0 November 6'015 11 14 1 December 2'975 4 1 24 ______ 46'760

1908 January 4.565 11 12 0 February 6.105 10 12 0 March 4.360 7 17 2 April 7.605 14 8 1 May 4.305 9 21 0 June 5.775 0 25 0 July 4.800 5 21 0 August 6.325 8 18 0 September 6.630 3 21 0 October 6.675 11 9 0 November 2.440 11 8 0 December 5.255 10 10 0 ______ 64.840

1909 January 3.060 7 19 0 February 4.720 11 7 3 March 5.295 9 14 1 ______ 13.075

The following observations on the wind are derived from Andrea Repetto:--

The wind at Tristan generally changes from northward to westward or southward. The change begins with rain. A very light wind from the northward (NE. or N.) will spring up, and may last for a day or two; then it becomes unsettled and with rain changes to the westward. But this initial wind may come from the NW., W., SW., or S. This movement of the wind from the northward to westward or southward generally happens when the weather is settled and the wind is light, or in the warm season (spring, summer and autumn); but sometimes it happens in unsettled weather, in which case the rain pours down at once and the wind from the north lasts only a short time. When this northward wind begins in unsettled weather it changes to the south, as a rule, without staying at any of the intervening points, and does so with a heavy squall or shower.

When the wind from the north is a light one it generally changes to a light one from the south; and when it is a heavy one from the north it generally changes to a heavy one from the south; this latter happens usually in the winter when the weather is for the most part unsettled.

In the warm season when the wind is very light it very often goes round the four cardinal points every twenty-four hours for a week together.

The wind hardly ever changes from the northward to the eastward. On the very rare occasions when it may do so, the wind being very variable, it never stands there but quickly returns to the northward.

The wind may instantly change (_e.g_. after one shower) from northward to south; and sometimes from here (the south) it goes to SE., where it may stay a week; if it gets as far as the east it will not stay for more than a day or two, but will go on to the NE.; but it does not get so far as the E. more than once in a year, and perhaps not for two years, and always without rain.

When the wind gradually changes from northward to the south it stays a short time in the west, then as the day advances in the SW., and gets to the S. in the evening, each of those three movements being preceded by squalls or showers. On reaching the S. it settles there for a day or two.