1102

CHAPTER XXXIII.

ISLANDS BETWEEN LATS. 10° AND 20° N., INCLUDING THE LADRONE ISLANDS.

CLIPPERTON ISLAND was discovered, in 1705, by a companion of Dampier's, Capt. Clipperton, who separated from him on the coast of South America, to go to the Indies, in which passage he fell in with this rock or island. Its position, as given, was not very far from the truth, but its existence was doubted until recently.

Capt. Sir Edward Belcher is the first who made us acquainted with the exact character of this rock. He made it May 8th, 1839, at the distance of 15 miles, at the dawn of day; and the sun's rays playing on its nearest face, it had the appearance of a brig close hauled. "The name, Clipperton Rock, certainly misled us, and had we made the point at night, with a fair wind, would almost inevitably have severely damaged or destroyed both vessels. I certainly should have steered to pass it to the northward, merely assuming it to be a solitary rock."

Nothing in this name could lead a seaman to imagine a high rock, placed on the southern edge of a coral lagoon island, 3 miles long N. and S., by the same E. and W.

Its description should stand thus:-A very dangerous, low, lagoon island, destitute of trees, with a high rock on its southern edge, which may be mistaken for a sail.

This rock can be seen 15 miles. In thick weather the low coral belt, which appears like sand, will not be distinguished until close to it. The breakers on the eastern side do not afford sufficient warning for a vessel to turn or change course. On the northern part of the belt, the land is a little raised, and appears to be clothed with something like grass.

There are two entrances, which at high water may be safe; but at the moment we passed, the surf was too heavy, and the reflux showed the rocks bare. The high rock is situated in lat. 10° 17' N., lon. 109° 10′ W., the dangers from it northerly extending 2 miles easterly, and the same north-westerly. On the beach several large trees were observed, and an object, which was thought to be part of a vessel, near the western opening.

In the centre of the lagoon, as viewed from the mast-head, there is one hole of blue water, and a second belt is connected with rock, attaching it to the East side of the island. This literally constitutes two islands formed by its two openings; both are on the weather side of the island.

No living trees were seen, but the whole island was covered with gannet, boobies, frigate pelican, and several kinds of tern, which had also been noticed in great numbers during the previous week, at least 500 miles to the eastward. From

this an easterly current may be inferred, as these birds generally keep in its stream or tail course.*

No bottom was obtained by the Sulphur with 100 fathoms of line, but the Starling had soundings with less than 100 on the northern side.

Sharks, porpoises, and turtle were observed together. The former annoyed us much by biting at our patent logs, for which one was taken and made an example of. They were very large, and literally swarmed. In all probability they were attracted by a shoal of file (balistes), and other small fish, which had been feeding off our copper since quitting the Island of Cocos.†

PASSION ISLAND or ROCK.-The existence of this has been the subject of much doubt, arising from the very contradictory statements as to its position. It is stated to have been discovered in the early part of the last century, by Capt. Dubocage, in La Découverte, of Havre, on a Good Friday, and from this circumstance it takes its name. This account is alluded to by Le Barbinaise, who made a voyage to the South Seas in 1714. The position stated is lat. 4o N., lou. 106° W., but on Espinosa's chart it is given as lat. 16° 54′ N., lon. 109° W. This great incongruity, however, is in some measure set at rest by the following recent extract :

"On December 2nd (1847?) observed an island bearing W.N.W., which though (as laid down) would have been 60' distant, we could only believe to be the Passion Rock. As we passed less than 30′ to the West of it in July last, and did not see it, and now passed 60' to the East of it, it is possible it may be laid down 30' too far to the West.

"Latitude and longitude, from bearings and supposed distance, 17° 11′ N., 106° 21′ W. It appeared, from aloft, high, and peaked in several places."§

REVILLA GIGEDO ISLANDS.

This is a small group to the southward of the Californian Peninsula, that was discovered in one of the early Spanish voyages. Fernando de Grijalva, in 1523, named the principal island Santo Tomas, now called Socorro. The name of the group is derived from Capt. Colnett, in 1793, who gave the name of the Spanish Mexican Viceroy to them, in gratitude for the kindness he had received from him during his captivity.-(Colnett, p. 116.) It was intended by the Spaniards to form an establishment on them, but their natural character prevented this.

SOCORRO or SANTO TOMAS is about 8 leagues in length N.W. and S.E., and about 3 leagues in its greatest breadth. It may be said to consist of one mountain (about 2,000 feet high), which may be seen at the distance of 20 leagues, and falls in gradual descent at all points on the South side. It is in a great measure covered with brushwood, intermixed with low prickly pear trees (cacti), and occasionally shaded with other trees of a larger growth. Some few spots of the

It does not follow, therefore, as a matter of course, as noticed by some writers, that the appearance of birds denotes land to windward; they are more likely guided by tide. ↑ Sir Edward Belcher, vol. i. pp. 255–257.

Krusenstern, vol. ii. p. 58.

Nautical Magazine, December, 1848, p. 641.*

soil are black and barren, as if fire had lately issued near it; and the top of the high land at a distance has the appearance of there having been formerly a volcano; the surface is of a whitish colour, like that of the pumice stone, which was found on the shore. Neither fire nor smoke were, however, seen to issue from the island.

The vegetables found by Colnett's people were considered as wholesome; they were beans, and the molie tree, whose leaves make a pleasant and aromatic decoction. The prickly pear, an excellent antiscorbutic, grew in great abundance. Numerous land-birds, and plenty of sea-fowl, also afforded food. Fish is very abundant, but difficult to take, on account of the numerous sharks. Water is, however, not to be found, though there are many indications that some must exist, but they have not been discovered.

Capt. Colnett considered the safest anchorage, from June to December, to be between the South and S.W. points (Cornwallis Bay), opposite to two white coral beaches, which are the first two in succession from the South point of the island toward the West. It is remarkable from the pinnacle rocks, which lie close off the West point of the bay. This bay is preferable in the bad season, as the wind seldom blows more than two points to the southward of East. In the good season, however, that is, from the latter end of December till the beginning of June, the S.E. (or Braithwaite Bay) is to be preferred; the anchorage here is better and nearer to the cove, and is the only good landing-place. It is readily known, being a stony beach at the first inlet in the shore to the eastward of the South point. All other parts of the coast on the South side of the island are iron-bound, which makes it difficult, if not impossible, to land, except in very fine weather.*

Socorro has been correctly placed on the charts by Capt. Sir Edward Belcher, He found its latitude correct; but that it was 52 miles East of its proper position by former observers.

"It is lofty, making in several peaks, the highest probably 2,000 feet above the sea. The eastern coast is very dreary and forbidding.

"Braithwaite's Bay (which was supposed to be that so named previously) has rocky landing, the shores of lava coulé, and nothing like a beach. Neither wood nor water visible, although, from the constant clouds which hang over the high peaks, there must be a supply in some other point. Lieutenant Wood examined the western bay, which is spacious: goats were observed, but no indications of wood or water visible, though, from the presence of animals, it is probable that they find water.

"It is difficult to penetrate into the interior, even for a few hundred feet, owing to the abundance of the cactus opunia (prickly pear), which make those who attempt it suffer for their curiosity. One of the crew of the Sulphur made himself ill from eating a large bean, which grew abundantly; but it might have been from indulging too freely, because some were cooked and eaten without injury." Two of Colnett's people were affected in the same way.

* Colnett's Voyage, pp. 85-90; 106-121.

↑ Sir Edward Belcher, December, 1839, vol. i. pp. 348-9.

The landing place in Braithwaite Bay is in lat. 18°43' 14" N., lon. 110°54′ 15′′ W.;
variation, 7° E.

ST. BENEDICTO ISLAND is the same which was called Nublada (cloudy)
by Villalobos, in 1542. Colnett calls it San Berto. It lies to the N.N.E. of
Socorro, 30 miles distant. It is about 6 miles in length N.E. and S.W., and
2 or 3 in breadth, with a few rocks just appearing above water off different parts
of it. Its surface is uneven, and its appearance romantic, but barren, with little
or no vegetation. At the distance of 9 or 10 miles it appears like two islands.
On the West side is a small bay, but it was not examined.* Its North end is in
lat. 19° 22′ 40′′, lon. 110° 44′ W., according to Colnett's chart.

ROCA PARTIDA lies 48 miles E.N.E. of Socorro. It is a dangerous barren
rock, lying N.N.W. and S.S.E. by compass, 50 or 60 fathoms long, and 25 or
30 fathoms broad. Both ends are 15 or 20 fathoms in height. The N.W. end is
forked; the S.E. end is like a ragged haycock. The two bights are separated
by a ragged saddle, that rises 20 or 25 feet nearly perpendicularly from the sea.
There is a depth of 35 fathoms at a boat's length off all round; at half a mile
distance, 50 fathoms; and then no bottom with 100 fathoms. It shows itself on
every bearing, at all distances, like a sail under a jury mast. There is a great
quantity of fish, but the sharks prevent them being taken. The only inhabitants
of the rock are man-of-war hawks, as at St. Benedicto. Lat. 19° 4′ 30′′,
lon. (corrected) 112° 4′ 0′′ W.; variation, 7° E.†
SANTA ROSA or CLARION ISLAND.-We have no early account of this
island, and its existence was doubted until it was seen in 1815, by Lieutenant
Ponafidin, of the Russian Company's ship Souvoroff, who calculated its position
as lat. 18° 28' N., lon. 115° 6' W. Capt. Fitzgerald, of the Alert, saw it in his
passage from Callao to San Blas, and placed it in lat. 18° 24', lon. 114° 33′ W.
Sir Edward Belcher places Sulphur Bay on its South side, in lat. 18° 20′ 36′′,
lon. 114° 40′ 19′′. Capt. Fitzgerald describes it as being high in the West part
(1,500 feet according to Sir E. Belcher), and about 6 miles long in an East and
West direction. When it bears to the N.E. it shows in three summits, which
give it the appearance of a group of isles. The South side is clear and steep-to,
and the sea beats strongly against it, except in one part, towards the middle,
where the shore is sandy, and on which the captain landed with some difficulty;
at less than a mile off this part the depth is 11 fathoms.

It has also been seen by an American (Capt. Clark, of the ship Pearl), who
has modestly bestowed the name of Clarion on it. It is also called Cloud Island
on some charts, but this is evidently the name of Nublada Island to the eastward.
It is also probably the same as Best Island, placed near to Cloud Island.‡

Sir E. Belcher speaks thus of it :-Clarion Island differs slightly in its features
from Socorro, excepting that a whitish coloured fresh-water lake was found at the
beach, and birds were more numerous, viz., the gannet, frigate pelican, several
varieties of boobies, of tern, ducks, and doves. The plants were more luxuriant,
the cactus particularly so, but not so uncourteous as at Socorro-it did not entirely
stop the way. No streams were noticed.

• Colnett's Voyage, p. 107. ↑ Ibid. p. 89.

Krusenstern, vol. ii. p. 28; Supp., p. 112.

Fish were very numerous, and took the bait freely; but they broke the hooks. Turtle were plentiful, two were captured.

*

Capt. Sir E. Belcher was not fortunate enough to find wood or wholesome water in any way to justify a vessel seeking for those necessaries at these islands. Possibly distress might be relieved, but nothing beyond. He sought for the several islands reported in the Socorro and Clarion groups, and passed over the position of Best's Island, which, if it existed within 10 miles, might have been seen; he soon after sighted Clarion Island, not far out of its position as given. Birds, principally gannet, together with broad patches of weed, at times plentiful.

ROCA CORAL, ROCA PARDERO, NEW ISLAND, MISIPI ISLAND, &c.-Several islands under the foregoing names have been announced as existing between lat. 161° and 17° N., lon. 133° and 136° W., but the reports have never yet been confirmed, and their existence, whether as referring to a single island, or a cluster of five islands, as has been reported, or a series of detached islands, is still doubtful. Capt. Sir Edward Belcher, in the Starling and Blossom, sought for this cluster of doubtful islands unsuccessfully; but numerous indications of land were met with, meduse, floating sticks, frequent showers, frigate birds, &c. "As these. latter birds do not go far from land, I am disposed to believe some one of these. reports to be well founded, but the position erroneously determined. So many assertions can hardly rest on imagination."+

JOHNSTON ISLANDS were discovered, December 14, 1807, on board H.M.S. Cornwallis, Capt. Charles James Johnston. The discovery and place of the group were announced by Lieutenant William Henry Smyth, at that time an officer on board the Cornwallis, hence the group is sometimes called by the name of the frigate. The original observations place them in lat. 16° 53′ 20′′ N.,. lon. 169° 31' 30" W. They are described by Wilkes, 1840, as a lagoon surrounded by an extensive reef, extending N.E. and S.W. 10 miles, and 5 miles broad; on the N.W. side are two low islets; the westernmost, in lat. 16° 48′ N., lon. 169° 45′ 36" West, is covered with bushes, but no trees; the other is only a sand-bank. This reef lies deep. §

SMYTH ISLANDS, a small group, are the subject of some doubt as to their original discovery. On the early Spanish charts, an island, Gaspar Rico, is placed between lat. 15° and 16° N., and lon. 170° E. In 1625, the Dutch fleet, called the Nassau fleet, passed near to a low island, which they believed to be Gaspar Rico. In 1796, Don. F. Quintano, in the Spanish ship Maria, discovered a group of five small islands, connected by rocky banks, which he believed to be. San Bartolomeo, discovered by Salazar in 1536.

Whether these several discoveries refer to the same or different spots is not as yet determined; but on December 22, 1807, H.M.S. Cornwallis passed to the

Voyage of the Sulphur, vol. i. pp. 348-350.
See Purdy's Tables, 1816, p. 156.

+ Ibid. vol. i. pp. 148-150. Narrative U.S. Ex. Ex., vol. v. p. 268.