Thisisland，orrathergroupofislands，bearssoutheastfromtheCapeofGoodHope，andisdistanttherefromnearlyeighthundredleagues。Itwasfirstdiscoveredin1772，bytheBarondeKergulen，orKerguelen，aFrenchman，who，thinkingthelandtoformaportionofanextensivesoutherncontinentcarriedhomeinformationtothateffect，whichproducedmuchexcitementatthetime。Thegovernment，takingthematterup，sentthebaronbackinthefollowingyearforthepurposeofgivinghisnewdiscoveryacriticalexamination，whenthemistakewasdiscovered。In1777，CaptainCookfellinwiththesamegroup，andgavetotheprincipalonethenameofDesolationIsland，atitlewhichitcertainlywelldeserves。Uponapproachingtheland，however，thenavigatormightbeinducedtosupposeotherwise，asthesidesofmostofthehills，fromSeptembertoMarch，areclothedwithverybrilliantverdure。Thisdeceitfulappearanceiscausedbyasmallplantresemblingsaxifrage，whichisabundant，growinginlargepatchesonaspeciesofcrumblingmoss。
Besidesthisplantthereisscarcelyasignofvegetationontheisland，ifweexceptsomecoarserankgrassneartheharbor，somelichen，andashrubwhichbearsresemblancetoacabbageshootingintoseed，andwhichhasabitterandacridtaste。
Thefaceofthecountryishilly，althoughnoneofthehillscanbecalledlofty。Theirtopsareperpetuallycoveredwithsnow。Thereareseveralharbors，ofwhichChristmasHarbouristhemostconvenient。ItisthefirsttobemetwithonthenortheastsideoftheislandafterpassingCapeFrancois，whichformsthenorthernshore，and，byitspeculiarshape，servestodistinguishtheharbour。
Itsprojectingpointterminatesinahighrock，throughwhichisalargehole，forminganaturalarch。Theentranceisinlatitude48
degrees40’S。，longitude69degrees6’E。Passinginhere，goodanchoragemaybefoundundertheshelterofseveralsmallislands，whichformasufficientprotectionfromalleasterlywinds。