The next day I intended putting Worsley and Macklin ashore and set off in the boat with McIlroy and Kerr at the oars. There was, however, a much bigger surf than we had encountered the previous day, and a landing at the beach was quite out of the question. I succeeded in putting the boat alongside the outer edge of the Archway Rock on to which they scrambled. This side is very steep and they were unable to reach the top which is overhanging. As a matter of fact, we discovered later that there is a way up by a “chimney” at the point nearest the beach, but it was so thickly covered with tussock grass as to be invisible from below. Up this an active man carrying a coil of rope would have comparatively little difficulty in making his way, and a landing could be effected by this route when it would be impossible at the beach. Not willing to give up the attempt I took the boat to the far side of the beach where a considerable swell was running, but where the surf was to some extent broken by a thick mass of seaweed. The swell, however, in spite of the weed was so high and steep that we narrowly escaped being capsized and had to abandon this also. I therefore gave up the attempt for that day and rowed along the coast examining rocks and entering numerous small caves. The water was beautifully clear and the bottom easily visible, with growths of beautiful seaweed and all manner of fish and crayfish. During the next three days the swell increased, and though we tried each day to land the attempt was attended with so much risk of damage to the boat that on each occasion I gave up the attempt. The beaches are composed of large and irregularly placed boulders, and many rocks but little submerged and often awash complicate the approach. Our surf boat was very lightly built, and under circumstances like this there was a danger of her bottom being stove in against the boulders. There was also a risk should she get across one of the outlying rocks of being capsized and swamped by the inrushing swell. We found that the seas were so steep that when they had passed under our bottom the boat came down heavily on the water with such a resounding smack that had she struck something hard she must have immediately been stove in. Indeed our attempt at landing provided us with no little excitement, but I was fortunate in having with me amongst the crew a number of cool and capable oarsmen, and we escaped damage. Another factor which adds to the difficulty of landing at Gough Island is the force of the gusts which blow down the glen. They come in whirls so that the boat is blown violently first in one direction and then another, and at this time of year are bitingly cold. Examination of the records of other explorers who have visited this island shows that there has always been a difficulty in landing.