A landing was effected near the north-east corner, largely through the help of the Tristan islanders, whose intimate local knowledge proved of the greatest value during the whole time we spent about these islands. The beach was steep and stony, and big curling seas were breaking on it. Intervals of comparative calm occur, and by taking advantage of them a boat can be fairly easily beached. The landing effected and the gear removed, the boat was hauled up whilst the party went about their work. The beach is about a mile long and forms a very narrow strip, behind which the cliffs rise vertically for an average height of from three to four hundred feet. Half a mile to the south-east of the landing-place a narrow waterfall drops in a cascade over the edge of the cliff about three hundred and fifty feet up and has hollowed out a deep pool below. The ascent to the summit lies beyond this, and here Douglas, with John Glass and Henry Green, started the climb. These two islanders are strong, active, nimble men and wonderful climbers. Douglas gave them the greatest praise, and said that but for their assistance he could never have attained the summit. On one occasion during the descent they had to lower him over a particularly steep part with the rope. Douglas writes: Inaccessible Island is pear-shaped, the longer axis being about three miles and the shorter two and a half miles. The land rises around the island in almost vertical cliffs about five hundred feet high. On the south and south-east there is a gradual slope up to the highest point, which is about 1,500 feet above sea level. On the north and north-west sides the rim continues to rise to about 1,300 feet, and then it slopes down towards the interior and the foot of the slope of the central cone. In fact, it is a great caldera, with the southern side blown out and having a central small cone. The interior is really a beautiful landscape of broken country, clad in verdure with a stream running through it. Wilkins, assisted by Carr and Marr, carried out natural history investigations on the lower slope and shot a number of birds for preparation as museum specimens. During the years 1871-73 two brothers, Germans named Stoltenhoff, lived here. They gave their name to Stoltenhoff Island. Nightingale Island derives its name from the British navigator who visited it in 1760.