Three Years in Tristan da Cunha by K. M. Barrow
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K. M. Barrow >> Three Years in Tristan da Cunha
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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 (_Scomber 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 grass 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. Prickle-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. Buttercup. 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.
If during this day or two there are showers a movement will begin. In the
morning this movement will be without a shower from the S. to the W.; but
in the evening it will be with a shower back from the W. (to which it had
gone in the morning) to SW. or S. This movement may last for a week or
two.
In fine weather when the wind springs from the northward the first day is
generally fine and clear, then it becomes cloudy or dull for a day or even
a fortnight; then it will change to the westward with a squall, or shower,
or sometimes heavy rain.
The wind never changes from the S. to northward without first dying down
either at once or gradually and without rain. But it may change from the
SW. or W. to northward without dying down and without rain.
The wind from the E. which visits the Isle so seldom generally begins with
rain, though in the lee it is clear and the sun is shining at the time. It
lasts from two to six days at least.
When the SE. wind blows in unsettled weather, in the lee there will be
sunshine and clear weather.
The winds from the W., SW., S. and SE. are dry winds. The other winds,
especially N. and NE., are wet ones.
C. SOME TRISTAN WORDS
1. _Allow_, to say.
2. _Bawling_, lowing of a cow.
3. _Bog_, a root or clump of tussock.
4. _Bread_, ship's biscuits.
5. _Cake_, bread.
6. _Duff-headed cow_, a cow without horns.
7. _Fancy_, pretty.
8. _Gallied_, flustered.
9. _Gutter_, a narrow grass-covered ravine.
10. _Hardy_, a high rock in the sea at a little distance from the shore.
11. _"I never,"_ I never did it.
12. _Mary_, a chrysalis.
13. _Ned_, a lob (in cricket).
14. _Paddle_, to rake.
15. _Quanking_, the cackling of geese.
16. _Red Harry_, a red centipede.
17. _Scouse_, milk and the yolk of two or three eggs boiled in it.
18. _The Stitch_, lumbago.
19. _Tissick_, a cough.
* * * * *
_Richard Clay & Sons Limited, London and Bungay._
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