drawn, as that of Walter's undoubtedly is. Lieutenant Mortimer, who came here in 1789, in the Mercury, got all they required, but the cattle were very wild and shy. The well near the anchorage, so much praised by Richard Walter, and so dispraised by Byron, as being brackish and full of worms, was found to be good and sweet; but this may have been the effect of season. Lieutenant Mortimer was here in December, Commodore Byron in August; Capt. Gilbert found it dry in August, 1788.

On one point all agree, that is, the badness of the roadstead; we therefore quote Richard Walter's words :-"But the most important and formidable exception to the place remains still to be told; this is, the inconvenience of the road, and the little security there is, in some seasons, for a ship to anchor. The only proper anchorage place for ships of burthen is at the S.W. end of the island; the Peak of Saypan, seen over the northern part of Saypan, and bearing N.N.E.E., is a direction for readily finding it; the anchoring place is then 8 miles distant. Here the Centurion anchored in 22 fathoms, about 1 miles off the shore, opposite to a sandy bay. The bottom of this road is full of sharp pointed coral rocks, which, during four months of the year, that is, from the middle of June to the middle of October, render it a very unsafe anchorage. This is the season of the western monsoons; when near the full and change of the moon, but more particularly at the change, the wind is usually variable all round the compass, and seldom fails to blow with such fury that the stoutest cables are not to be confided in. What adds to the danger at these times is the excessive rapidity of the tide of flood, which sets to the S.E., between this island and that of Aguijan, a small islet near the South extremity of Tinian, which, in the galleon's chart, is represented only by a dot. This tide runs at first with a vast head and overfall of water, occasioning such a hollow and overgrown sea as is scarcely to be conceived, so that we were under the dreadful apprehension of being pooped by it, though we were in a 60-gun ship. In the remaining eight months of the year, that is, from the middle of October to the middle of June, there is a constant season of settled weather; when, if the cables are but well armed, there is scarcely any danger of their being ever rubbed; so that, during all that interval, it is as secure a road as could be wished for. I shall only add, that the anchoring bank is very shelving, and stretches along the S.W. end of the island, and is entirely free from shoals, except a reef of rocks, which is visible, and lies about half a mile from the shore, affording a narrow passage into a small sandy bay, which is the only place where boats can possibly land." - (Anson's Voyage, book iii. chap. 2.)

We have been more discursive on Tinian than its merits perhaps deserve, but as it is a point familiar in the history of navigation, it has more interest than it would otherwise claim. When Freycinet came here, in 1819, he found not more than twenty inhabitants on it. The position of the village of Sunharom, abreast of Anson's Road, is lat. 14° 59' 22" N., lon. 145° 49′ 19′′ E., according to Freycinet. SAYPAN or SEYPAN ISLAND, which is distinguished by a lofty peak, 2,000 feet high, is so close to Tinian that small boats pass from one to the other over the shoal water. This island is fertile, wooded, and is the largest of the Marianas, being 10 leagues in length in a North and South direction. The

direction of the western coast of Saypan, beyond the South point, is first N.W., then it turns to the North. All this side is bordered by a reef, which, from its North point, runs directly to South to the parallel of its South extremity, where, on account of the diverging direction of the coast itself, the reef is distant 15 miles from it. The Island of Tinian occupies one-half this breadth, so that it forms here a roadstead, sheltered against all winds, except perhaps those from the South. The Spanish plans published in Dalrymple's Collection give some indications of soundings, and particularly along the reef, where the depth is 25 to 30 fathoms. Towards the middle the depth must be greater, and in consequence is not so proper for anchorage. Farther up the breadth of the road is much less, and the soundings indicate 15 and 16 fathoms, and it is here that the Spanish plans mark the anchorage. It may here be remarked that Malespina himself only examined and determined the position of Guam, Rota, and Tinian. After having related the astronomical observations, which served to determine the longitude of Umatac Bay, he says:-"We have determined by trigonometrical operations the position of the North and South extremities of Guahan, and that of the town of St. Ignacio de Agana, and the chronometric operations have given the situation of the Islands of Tinian and Rota in reference to Guahan. As for the positions and configurations of the rest of the islands, they are founded on less authentic particulars.* As the greater part of the vessels bound for Canton or Manila touch at Guahan, the southernmost of the islands, it is very natural that those to the northward should be best known."

FARALLON DE MEDINILLA is only 2 miles long, N.E. and S.W.; its breadth much less. It is a calcareous rock, flat, with perpendicular sides. It is barren, and has reddish patches. On the South and West sides are some very deep caverns or grottos. The South point is terminated by a small hill, perhaps joined to the island by low land. At its South part is a pierced rock, through which a boat might pass. Freycinet called it Pointe des Grottes, and the island itself after the respectable governor of Guam.

ANATAXAN ISLAND is 9 leagues N.W. of the last; it is about 5 miles long, East and West. It has two very high and steep peaks lying on the same parallel. To the S. W. only there is a small point slightly projecting. The island has every appearance of being volcanic.

SARIGUAN ISLAND, to the N.N.E. of the preceding, at 6 leagues distant, appears to be merely a high hill, of the form of an upright cone, with nearly a circular base, 1 miles in diameter. Its summit is rounded. It is almost without vegetation, and also seems to be of volcanic origin.

FARALLON DE TORRES.-This small island is about 12 leagues from Sariguan. It is 2 miles from N.N.E. to S.S.W. Its breadth does not much exceed a mile, and it is of moderate height, much resembling the Farallon de Medinilla. Its North point is the lowest; throughout it has a most barren aspect, is perpendicular, and unapproachable on all sides. Freycinet named it after Major de Torres, at Guam.

GUGUAN ISLAND is nearly exactly North of the Farallon de Torres, and

Memoires d'Espinosa, tome ii. p. 4.

5 leagues distant from it. It lies North and South, 24 miles long, and is one of the highest in the archipelago. On it are two peaks, the northern one may be 2,000 feet high. To the South and East the slope of the hills is extremely rapid, and the rock, which descends to the sea, is composed of lava. At its South end there are, however, some white and red spots, and to the West a point covered with trees; it is the only place where there are any large vegetables. The North side is not so steep as the South. The highest point on the North side is a vast crater, from whence Freycinet saw smoke issue, as was also the case with another to the N.W., at two-thirds up the mountain.

ALAMAGUAN ISLAND is almost exactly on the meridian of Guguan, in lat. 18o 4'. It was only seen at a distance of 6 leagues, at which it seemed to be divided into two portions, but they were convinced it was joined by low land. It appeared to be about 8 miles long N.E. and S.W. Its highest parts were angular; that to the N.E. was like a volcano.

PAGON ISLAND.-At 3 leagues farther North is Pagon, which was imperfectly seen through the haze. Several peaks were remarked, and towards the South a small island near the coast, perhaps attached to it. It is said that there is anchorage close to the land in the South part of Pagon, but it cannot be sheltered from those winds which blow between S.E. and S.W. round by South.

GRIGAN ISLAND.-In lat. 18° 48', to the N. by W. of Pagon, is this island, about 6 miles long, on which are seen two high peaks, apparently a former volcano. Wilkes, by an imperfect observation, made it to be 2,300 feet high. To the S.W. of the island there is, from what M. Freycinet was assured, a small plain, in front of which there is bad anchorage, on account of the violence of the currents. The Americans and some Sandwich islanders were established on this island, on the S.W. side, but were forcibly removed by the governor of Guam.

Grigan is larger than Assumption, to the North of it, and, like it, is volcanic, having a few trees on its North and South ends, which descend gradually from what appears to be the crater, having at some period deposited streams of lava, or black ashes, a considerable distance down its sides.

MANGS ISLANDS.-These are some small islets which the Spanish charts place in the middle of numerous reefs. They were seen from the Uranie's mast-head, and the bearing then taken served to point out their approximate situation.* This was the northernmost of the Marianas seen from L'Uranie.

ASUNCION (or Assumption) is better known. La Pérouse anchored here. It is called by Espinosa the Great Volcano, which is expressive of its character, inasmuch as La Pérouse considered it not to be quite extinct even in his time. It is a very remarkable object, being a perfect volcanic cone rising abruptly from the ocean to an altitude of 1,700 feet (Pérouse estimated it at about 1,200 feet). Its whole circumference at the base is not more than 3 miles.

The channel between Asuncion and Grigan is perfectly free, and 50 miles in width. When the weather is clear, both islands may be seen 15 or 16 leagues. Some islands have been placed S.S.W. of Asuncion, but it would appear to be

Voyage des Corvettes de S.M. L'Uranie et La Physicienne, par M. Louis de Freycinet, Navigation et Hydrographie, pp. 172–221.

through an error in La Pérouse's journal, a bearing having been omitted, and South instead of North substituted. This is also confirmed by Capt. Wilkes, U.S.N.-(Vol. v. p. 267.)

The URACCAS are the small rocky islands which lie 5 leagues N. 28° W. from Assumption. They have been placed S. 28° W. from Assumption, under the second name, from the reason mentioned in the preceding paragraph.

GUY ROCK, or FARALLON DE PAXAROS, is the northernmost part of the Marianas. It was discovered by Capt. Douglas, September 12, 1789, and was placed under the second name in Espinosa's chart. Its position, according to its discoverer, is in lat. 20° 30' N., lon. 145° 32′ E., which very nearly coincides with the position of Lieutenant Macquina, as corrected by Espinosa.

LINDSAY ISLAND.-This island was discovered by Mr. Lindsay, of the British schooner Amelia, during a calm, on Christmas-day, 1848. It appeared about 40 feet high, and 4 miles in length, very barren, and of a dark-brown colour. Of its position, lat. 19° 20′ N., lon. 141° 15' E., its discoverer speaks confidently, having proved the rate of his chronometer only two days previously at the Islands of Grigan and Asuncion.*

CHAPTER XXXIV.

THE SANDWICH ISLANDS, ETC.

THESE islands were discovered by Capt. Cook, in his last and unfortunate voyage. Proceeding from Tahiti, he made the land of Atooi and Woahoo, to the North and N.E., on Sunday, January 18, 1778. They were named by him the Sandwich Islands, in honour of the Earl of Sandwich, the then first lord of the Admiralty, under whose administration he had enriched geography with so many and splendid discoveries.

Although to Cook belongs the honour of thus making them really known to Europe, there are some proofs that they had been previously seen by the early Spanish voyagers, the first of whom was Juan Gaetano, in 1542, who made the first voyage from New Spain to the coast of Asia, though there is no account that he saw them. On the old Spanish charts there is a group marked in the same latitude, but much farther to the eastward than the Sandwich Islands; the southernmost and largest of these is called La Mesa (the table); to the N.E. of this is La Desgraciada (unfavoured); and to the N.W. is a group of six, collectively called Los Monjes (the monks). In the different charts of Lord Anson, taken with the Manila galleon, and those noticed by Burney (vol. v.), they are placed from 10° Shipping Gazette, October, 1849.

to 22° farther East than the Sandwich group. They were unsuccessfully sought for by La Pérouse, Vancouver, and others. And as the ancients determined their longitudes nearly by chance, the conclusion is almost irresistible that this group is intended for those under consideration. In this view, if the islands were seen at a distance, La Mesa would answer for the flat-topped Mowna Loa in Hawaii, and it is here now suggested that La Desgraciada would answer to Mowna Kaah; Fleurieu, who was the first to point out this subject, considered that La Desgraciada might be a separate and undiscovered island.* Los Monjes would represent the western islands of the windward group, Oahu, Maui, &c., and thus, without much difficulty, all discrepancies would be reconciled except that of longitude.

Other evidences exist of some prior knowledge of European people. Cook found in his first interview two pieces of iron,† which could only be derived from Europeans, a piece of iron hoop two inches long, and an apparent point of a broadsword. The feather head-dresses, in the form of European helmets, and the grotesque heads of the same material, which he procured, and are now to be seen in the ethnological room of the British Museum, also indicate a similar origin of ideas. Added to this, the adoration paid to Cook, as the looked-for god, combined with the other traditionary evidence, prove that some former, though nearly forgotten, intercourse had taken place. Be that as it may, to Cook undoubtedly belongs the real discovery of the Sandwich Islands as now known.

It will be unnecessary to enter into the details of the progress of these islands in their early days of European intercourse.

After their discovery they were not visited till 1786, when Capts. Portlock and Dixon anchored at Oahu. La Pérouse visited Maui about the same time. Vancouver spent several months here in 1792 and 1793. He introduced the present breed of cattle, and during his stay the Island of Hawaii was ceded to the British crown. The first missionaries were landed at Kairua, in Hawaii, February 4, 1820, from Boston, United States. Some from England soon followed, and their zeal and industry soon effected a wondrous change in the character of their converts; and one most prominent circumstance arising out of it was the visit of the King Liho-Liho and his queen, with a native suite, to England, in 1822, to enter into a more close and friendly alliance with the English government. They unfortunately died soon after their arrival, and H.M.S. Blonde, under the command of Lord Byron, was commissioned to convey their bodies back to their kingdom, a proceeding which made a most favourable impression in Hawaii. Matters would have gone on well but for religious intolerance. The Protestant missionaries, both English and American, had increased; but in 1827 some Romish priests were introduced, who at first were kindly received, but, on their officiating, much strong feeling prevailed, and increased, until they were expelled in 1830. In 1836 the Romish propaganda again introduced themselves, but great bigotry on both sides led to most serious

• Fleurieu, Voyage de Marchand, tome ii. p. 21. + Cook's Third Voyage, vol. ii. p. 240. + Vide Ellis's Tour in Hawaii, pp. 447-453; and Jarvis's History of the Sandwich Islands.