island. After being on the reef half an hour, we joined our boats, and returned on board near sunset. One canoe was reported, the next morning, as having been seen from the Peacock.

The number of inhabitants that we saw certainly did not exceed one hundred and twenty.

The common house-fly was found in great numbers at this island. A number of fish were caught; some shells, and specimens of most of the plants, were also procured.

After lying-to for the night, we, at daylight on the 16th, bore away for Serle Island, having first ascertained our distance from the point of Clermont de Tonnerre by triangulation. We then ran by the patent log for Serle Island direct, by which means we made the distance between the two islands, twenty-six miles and two-tenths. No signs of any other island exist between these two. This will, I think, settle the question between Duperrey and Beechey. The latter is undoubtedly wrong as respects the longitude of Clermont de Tonnerre, which he places some twenty minutes too far to the eastward, and I doubt not some accidental error has occurred in his observations; for I find, at Serle Island, Duperrey, Beechey, and myself, agree within a few minutes.

Serle is a low coral island, and has a large and very regular clump of trees on its western end, which at a distance might be taken for a mound or hill. Its length is seven miles, and its width one and a fourth. It lies in a northwest and southeast direction. There are but few inhabitants on it. The position of its southeast end is in latitude 18° 21' 10" S., longitude 137° 04' 10" W.

The vessels again separated for its survey ;* boats were sent to trace the reef, and have communication with the natives, if possible. Before night we had completed our survey, and the boats returned. Lieutenant Alden, in charge of one of them, reported that he had had communication with the natives, who were very friendly and desirous of holding intercourse with him. He obtained several articles of curiosity from them. Some of them were tattooed. They were found to be arrant thieves, wishing to carry off every thing they saw, trying even to pull the copper off the blades of the oars, and all this apparently without any idea that it was wrong. When first seen they were armed with spears, but observing that we did not attempt to land, they sent them away in charge of a boy, and swam off to the

boat.

I now determined to wait until the next day, for the purpose of having further communication with them, and ordered every thing to

* For the mode of making the surveys of the Coral Islands, see Appendix XLI.

be prepared for an early landing; but during the night, the officer of the deck of the Porpoise (Acting Master Sinclair) ran into the Vincennes, and did both vessels some injury, smashing the starboard quarter boat, which broke adrift, cutting off our backstays, and losing some of the head-spars of the Porpoise. By this accident we lost our position, and in the morning found ourselves so far to the leeward, that I knew it must occupy much time-which we could not afford to lose-before we could regain the island. I therefore reluctantly bore away to the northward, to pass over the localities of one or two doubtful islands, on our way to that of Honden.

On the 19th of August we made Henuake, Honden, or Dog Island, and came up with it about noon. The boats were at once despatched, in order to ascertain if a landing could be effected, and the ships began the surveying operations. The surf was found very heavy on the beach, but the boats notwithstanding succeeded in landing. The number of birds seen hovering over the island was an indication that it was not inhabited, which proved to be the case. Several turtles were caught, and a number of specimens obtained. The survey of the island not having been completed, I lay by all night, and early in the morning despatched boats to complete the examination of it, and to effect a landing. The greatest part of the day was spent on the island. Near the place where we landed, there has been a channel to the small lagoon in the centre of the island, and there is another of a similar character on the opposite side. They were both dry, and the seawater can only communicate with the lagoon at very high tides. From our observations of the day, the usual neap tide is three and a half feet, and it would give high water at full and change of the moon, at 2 P. M.

There are many blocks of compact coral, just at high-water mark, quite black on the outside, but on fracture they showed the white coral. The white coral shelf over which the sea flows at high water was two hundred feet broad, the low water falling two feet below its surface; it is quite level, but there are many holes and large longitudinal cracks in it. On this lies the compact coral above spoken of, extending

beneath the coral sand. It is about ten or twelve feet wide. The coralsand beach above the compact layer has eight feet perpendicular rise. and lies at an angle of 47°. On the top of this are small pieces of coral, which have been thrown up by the sea, around the roots of trees and shrubs, growing to the height of from fifteen to twenty feet. We found the water in the lagoon quite salt, and very warm. Its bottom for a long distance was filled with a fine deposit of calcareous mud, about six inches in depth. The water had apparently evaporated from the lagoon, and to the taste was much salter than the ocean. Purslane (Portulaca) was found growing in a thrifty state in this deposit. Where the lagoon was deeper, some fine specimens of corals were observed and obtained. No traces of inhabitants were perceived on this island. The state of nature in which the birds were found, and other indications, gave proof that it had not been inhabited, at least for some time. There were a great many sharks, both in the lagoon and outside, which were so ravenous that they bit at the oars. It was by no means pleasant to have to swim through the surf to the boat with these dangerous animals so numerous around us.

The landing on a coral island effectually does away with all preconceived notions of its beauty, and any previous ideas formed in its favour are immediately put to flight. That verdure which seemed from a distant view to carpet the whole island, was in reality but a few patches of wiry grass, obstructing the walking, and offering neither fruit nor flowers to view; it grew among the rugged coral debris, with a little sand and vegetable earth.

The principal trees and shrubs are the Pandanus, Boerhaavia, and Pisonia. It is somewhat surprising that a few trees forty or fifty feet high should have found sufficient soil to protect their growth. Most of the trees, however, are of stunted size, being not more than ten to fifteen feet in height, and eighteen inches in diameter.

Van Schouten and Le Maire visited this island, 10th April, 1616, some two hundred years before, and it was even then clothed with vegetation. If their description is an accurate one, the island appears now to be rather higher, as they report "from what they could judge, the greater part of the island is overflowed at high water;" this is certainly not the case now. The centre of the island is in latitude 14° 55' 40" S., longitude 138° 47' 36" W.

The number of birds on the island was incredible, and they were so tame as to require to be pushed off their nests to get their eggs. The most conspicuous among them was the frigate-bird (Tachypetis aquilus); many of the trees were covered with their nests, constructed of a few sticks. The old birds were seen, as they flew off, inflating

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their blood-red pouches to the size of a child's head, and looking as if a large bladder were attached to their necks. The gannets, sooty terns, and the beautiful tropic-bird, were in countless numbers; the former guarding their eggs, (which were laid on the ground without a nest,) with care, remaining by them, and even suffering themselves to be captured without resistance. Their hoarse croaking was quite deafening.

Some droll sights were seen of crabs walking off with snakes, and both again seized by some stout bird and borne away. Armies of soldier or piratical crabs (Paguri) were seen moving in all directions with their shells. We enjoyed ourselves much, and found no use for our guns, powder, and shot; as many specimens as we could desire. were taken with the hand, both old and young. In some cases the tropic-birds were taken off their nests, and from others their eggs were taken without disturbing them; indeed, I have never seen any barnyard fowls half so tame.

The various snakes, the many-coloured fish, the great eels, enormous and voracious sharks, shells, large molluscs, spiders, with the curious lepidoptera, seemed to have quiet possession, their webs stretching in every direction, and occasioning us much annoyance: all gave a novelty to the scene, that highly interested and delighted us. In the afternoon we returned on board, loaded with specimens; and the survey being completed, we bore away on our course.

There are no cocoa-nut palms on the island, as has been reported by Captain Fitzroy, in his voyage; nor is there any fresh water to be found. Some of our gentlemen saw on the beach some broken oars and remains of a boat, but nothing could be identified.

Pandanus trees exist on the south side.

On the 23d of August we made the Disappointment Islands of Byron: they are two in number, called Wytoohee and Otooho. On the same day, I was informed by Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold, of the Porpoise, that George Reynolds, ordinary seaman, had died of chronic pneumonia; the chaplain went on board in the afternoon, and performed the last offices.

On the morning of the 24th we were off the northwest end of the island of Wytoohee, which lies in latitude 14° 09' 30" S., longitude 141° 17′ 50′′ W. Many canoes came off to the ship: as they ap proached the vessels, the natives were heard, while at some distance, singing; and, as they drew near, the clamour increased, accompanied with much laughing, and many gesticulations; but none of them could be induced to come on board, and they were not willing to part with any thing but some pieces of old matting. An attempt was made to

get some of their paddles, but they rather ridiculed the idea of parting with them.

CANOE OF WYTOOHEE.

The canoes were quite small, being only from twelve to fifteen feet long. They generally contained two and sometimes three natives. Each canoe had an out-rigger, and a projecting point, both before and behind, by which they get into them from the water. They are formed of strips of cocoa-nut wood sewed together. Two persons can carry them. Their paddles were curved backwards.

In order to dispel their fears, articles were given them gratuitously, and by way of showing their gratitude, they began a monotonous song or chaunt. They would occasionally stop, look up, and return the laugh of the crew by a grin; apparently enjoying the sport as much as any of them.

These natives are peculiar, and appeared totally distinct from any others we met with in this group, having strong wiry beards and mustaches, and a different physiognomy. The portrait by Mr. Drayton, gives a very correct idea of them.

I sent one of the boats to the shore, with the interpreter, under Lieutenant Case, but they refused to allow them to land. No actual