broad. The eastern side is rocky and unfit for cultivation, nor is there any anchorage on it.

Niihau is famous for its yams, fruit, and mats. It is the property of the king, and it is necessary, previous to proceeding thither, to make a bargain with the authorities at Oahu, who in that case send an agent to see the agreement strictly fulfilled.*

The natives are very indolent, and are a darker race than those on Oahu, and reminded Capt. Beechey strongly of those on Bow Island. They live almost. entirely on the western shore, and are very poor. It is comparatively low, and with the exception of fruit trees, which are carefully cultivated, it is destitute of wood. The soil is too dry to produce taro, but on that account it is well adapted to the growth of yams, &c., which are very excellent, and of an enormous size. There is but one place in this bay, the same in which Vancouver anchored, on the western side, where the boat of a man-of-war can effect a landing with safety when the sea sets into the bay, which is of very common occurrence; this is on its northern shore, behind a small reef of rocks that lie a little way off the beach ; and even here it is necessary to guard against sunken rocks; off the western point these breakers extend 1 miles. The soundings in the bay are regular, upon a sandy bottom, and with the wind from the eastward good anchorage, if required, will be found; but it would not be advisable to bring up under any other circumstance. LEHUA or Oreehoua Island, off the North end of Niihau, is a rugged, naked, barren rock, to all appearance destitute of soil, and without any signs of habitableness. It is of very small extent, and is separated from the larger island by a channel about a mile in breadth, in which the depth appeared to be very irregular, and is therefore impracticable.

KAULA or TAHOORA lies 4 or 5 leagues from the S.E. end of Niihau, in a S. 69° W. direction. It is a small, elevated island, only inhabited by flocks of birds. This is the last of the group to the westward of which anything positive is known, but Cook heard of a small, low, uninhabited island called Tammatapappa, Modoo-papappa, Komodoopappa (i.e., flat island), about five hours' sail from Tahoora. It was said to be visited for the purpose of catching turtle and seafowl, but it has never been seen.

BIRD ISLAND is also considered as a member of the Hawaiian archipelago. It lies 39 leagues N. 51° W. from Niihau; was discovered, April 13, 1789, by Capt. Douglas, of the Iphigenia, who gave the name to it. It had not been previously known to the inhabitants of the Sandwich Islands, who called it Modu-manu, which also means Bird Island. It is merely a barren rock, of volcanic origin, about 200 feet above the water; it is bold all round, and is the resort of numerous flocks of sea-birds. Vancouver places it in lat. 23° 6′, lon. 161° 57′.

NECKER ISLE was discovered by La Pérouse, November 1, 1786. It is very small, and is only a rock of 500 yards in length, and at most 360 feet in height. There was not a single tree seen on it, but vegetation was abundant towards its summit. The bare rock was covered with birds' dung, and appeared white, contrasting with the different red spots on which the

Beechey, vol. i. p. 234.

Its

grass had not grown. Its shores are as steep-to as a wall, and the sea with fury broke against it everywhere; off its S. E. point only are a few rocks. barrenness renders it unimportant to sailors, but its situation is not so, and was determined by M. Dagelet as lat. 23° 34' N., lon. 164° 32′ W. According to Capt. Stanikowitch, its lon, is 164° 47' 20".*

This concludes the description of the islands composing the Hawaiian Archipelago. In the subsequent paragraphs we shall include all the islands to the northward of lat. 20°, some of which lie to the eastward of the Sandwich Islands.

DETACHED ISLANDS AND SHOALS TO THE NORTH OF LAT. 20° N.

LOS ALIJOS, lying off the southern portion of the Californian peninsula,† is a dangerous reef, composed of four principal rocks, which in nearing them show themselves successively. The two first, much higher than the two latter, then appear alone. The highest is 98 feet, the lowest 56 feet high. They have so much the appearance of ships under sail, that such an error, easily made at night, would expose a vessel to the greatest dangers. The name of these rocks, first discovered in 1791 by Capt. Marquina, in coming from the Philippines, and not again reported until Admiral Du Petit Thouars' examination, is expressive of their dangerous character-rocks which land a ship's cargo. Lat. 24° 57' 25", lon. 115° 45′ 20′′ W.‡

GUADALUPE ISLAND lies off the northern part of the peninsula of Lower California. It is high, with bluff shores on the North and West sides, and may be seen from the mast-head, in clear weather, at the distance of 15 leagues. From unerring indications, there is no doubt that it has been once volcanic; it is very barren on its South end, but in the northern part there are several fertile valleys, and the mountains contain vegetation. Wood and water may be obtained here from a small cove on the N.E. side of the island, and goats' flesh may be had for the trouble of shooting the animal.

The shores are free from dangers one-fourth of a mile from the island. The only anchorage is on the S.E. side, in a small cove, formed by a few rocky islets, which lie off in that direction. Here vessels may anchor in 7 fathoms water, sheltered from all winds, excepting from S.E. to E.N.E., which seldom blow here.§ This island was generally made by the Spaniards when bound to the southward from Monterey, or from their other northern establishments; in which route they pass to the westward, out of sight of those islands that form the canal of Sta.

• Voyage of La Pérouse, vol. ii. pp. 228-302; Krusenstern's Supplement, p. 112.

↑ Shelvocks Island? Sir Edward Belcher says:-"On December 11, 1837, passed close to Guadalupe, and then explored a degree on the parallel where an island had lately been reported, to fall into the parallel of Shelvoes, Shelvocks, or Shovel Island; steering casterly to Cape San Lucas, until I had sufficiently determined its non-existence within 30 miles East or West of its assigned position. The Venus also went over the same ground on nearly the same errand, and with like success." ""

Voyage de La Venus, tome ii. p. 149.

§ Morrell's Narrative, &c., p. 196.

FRENCH FRIGATES SHOAL-GARDNER ISLAND, ETC. 1149

Barbara, for the advantage of continuing in the strength of the N.W. winds; and thus they reach the Island of Guadalupe, from whence they steer a course for Cape San Lucas.*

REED ROCKS.-It is stated that Mr. Reed, master of the brig Emma, on her route from Tahiti to San Francisco, discovered, October 8 (1850?), two rocks, lying N.E. and S.W., one 150 fathoms long and 66 wide, the other about 100 fathoms long and 38 wide; 5 fathoms were got on one part and 3 fathoms alongside the rock. It was thought that the sea would break on it in heavy weather. Lat. 37° 24′ N., lon. 137° 27′ W.†

FRENCH FRIGATES SHOAL (Basse des Frégates Françaises) lies to the N.W. of the Sandwich Islands, and was also discovered and named by La Pérouse, November 6, 1786, during his passage from Monterey to Macao. It is a rocky bank even with the water's edge. In a W.N.W. direction this rock is more than 4 leagues in extent; on its N.W. extremity is an islet, or bare rock, of 100 yards in diameter, and 40 or 50 yards in height. The space between this rock and the breakers is occupied by three sand-banks, raised about 4 feet above the surface of the water. The astronomer, M. Dagelet, made the islet in lat. 23° 45′ N., lon. 165° 50′, and the eastern point of the reef in lon. 165° 40′.‡ Capt. Stanikowitch gives it the same position, and considers that the reef surrounding the small islet that La Pérouse speaks of extends to the distance of 15 miles from North to South, and nearly as much East and West.§

GARDNER ISLAND was discovered by Capt. Allen, of the whaler Muro, June 2, 1820. There is no doubt but that it is the same as what Morrell describes as the Man-of-War Rock, and the Pollard Rock of the Americans. According to its discoverer, it is a small island, about a mile in circumference, and about 900 feet high, having at its S.W. point two large rocks running off to the N.W. According to Morrell, it is the rocky summit of a submarine mountain, which was once volcanic, with deep water all round it, except to the S.W., where a coral reef extends half a mile out, and bare of vegetation, inhabited only by sea-birds and turtles. Capt. Stanikowitch places it in lat. 25° 3′ N., lon. 168° 1' 30" W.||

TWO BROTHERS REEF was so named by Krusenstern, from the vessel which was wrecked on it. Lat. 24° 14' N., lon. 168° 30′ W. Its existence is doubtful.¶

MARO REEF was discovered by Capt. Allen, in the American whale-ship Maro, in June, 1820, in lat. 25° 24′ N., lon. 170° 20′ W. Capt. Stanikowitch, who explored it in 1828, found that it was 8 leagues in circumference, and that it was visible from the deck of his vessel at 6 miles off. His position of it is

* Vancouver, vol. ii. p. 486.

Voyage of La Pérouse, vol. ii. pp. 298-302. Krusenstern, vol. ii. p 44; Supplement, vol. iii.; ¶ Krusenstern, vol. ii. p. 46; Supplement, p. 115.

+ Shipping Gazette, December 23, 1850. Krusenstern's Supplement, p. 112. Morrell, p. 216.

lat. 25° 46′ N., lon. 171° 49′ E. There are other determinations, also, which are not very different from these.*

LAYSAN or MOLLER ISLAND is an American discovery. Capt. Stanikowitch, not knowing that it had been previously seen, gave it the name of his vessel. It is a small, low island, inhabited, of a circular form, with a lagoon, and 6 miles in circumference. From his observations it lies in lat. 25° 46' N., lon. 171° 49′ W.+

BUNKER'S ISLAND, according to Capt. Kotzebue, was discovered by an American, January 11, 1815, in lat. 28° 20' N., lon. 172° 30' W. As there is an island named Philadelphia in the American list, in lat. 28° 0′, lon. 173° 30′ W., it must be supposed that they are identical. Į

LISIANSKY ISLAND was discovered by Capt. Lisiansky in the Russian ship Neva, striking on its reef on October 15, 1805, and was nearly wrecked. According to its discoverer's description, it is a small, low island, almost on a level with the sea, exclusive of a small eminence on the eastern part. Its soil consists of coral sand, overgrown with grass and creeping plants, and full of holes. There is not any water to be found, and consequently there are no trees or shrubs. Lisiansky found several large trunks of trees thrown on to the beach. He calls the shallow S.E. part of the extensive reef, in the middle of which the island stands, the Neva Shoal, from his vessel. This is about 1 miles E.S.E. from the island from his plan.

Capt. Morrell says the island is about 6 (?) miles in circumference, and cannot be seen more than 10 miles from the mast-head. Coral reefs run off from it in two directions, and as some remuneration for their own dangers, they form a safe anchorage between them. One of these reefs runs from the North end of the island to the N.W. about 4 miles, the sea breaking on its weather side. The other reef runs off from the S.S.W. part of the island, in a S.W. direction, about 7 miles, upon the eastern side of which the sea breaks all the year round. On the West side of the island, between these two reefs, about half a mile from the shore, there is a safe and smooth harbour for ships, which may ride at anchor in from 10 to 4 fathoms water, sand and coral bottom.

In addition to this description by Capt. Morrell, there is a dangerous shoal discovered by Capt. Stanikowitch in 1827. The eastern extreme of this lies S.E. S. 7 miles from the N.W. part of the island, and its western extremity at the distance of 4 miles. The islands called Laskar, Lasan Rys, Lassiano, Neavas, and Neva, are doubtless intended for the above.§

Capt. Lisiansky places the centre of the island in lat. 26° 2' 48" N., lon. 173° 42' 30" W. Morrell gives it as lat. 25° 29′, lon. 173° 44'.

* Krusenstern, vol. ii. p. 45; Supplement, p. 110. + Krusenstern's Supplement, p. 110. Krusenstern, vol. ii. p. 43.

Lisiansky, Voyage of the Neva, pp. 250—257; Morrell, p. 216; Krusenstern, vol. ii. p 44; Supplement, pp. 110-162.

DELAWARE BANK.-The American brig Delaware, H. Hunt, lieutenantcommander, discovered a bank above the water in lat. 27° 26' N., lon. 174° 25' N., which, seen at some miles' distance, appeared to be 12 or 14 miles long. It is stated, also, that there are several others in the neighbourhood, many of which are not known.*

The PEARL and HERMES REEF is an extensive shoal, on which two British whale-ships, the Pearl and the Hermes, were wrecked on the same night, and within 10 miles of each other, April 26, 1822. They were cast away on the East side of the island, and were fortunate in having favourable weather for several days, which enabled them to save a great portion of their stores, and to build a vessel of about 30 tons from the wrecks; this they did in six weeks, and reached the Sandwich Islands in safety.

It was visited by Morrell in 1825, by Stanikowitch in 1827, and a plan of it is given by Capt. Duperrey. There are considerable differences in the respective positions assigned by each.

Capt. Stanikowitch says it consists of several small islands, of which the two largest are named Pearl and Hermes, encircled by a reef, through which is a passage by which the Deliverance passed to an anchorage near the largest of the two islands.+

Morrell says that the eastern part of the group is in lat. 27° 41′ N., lon. 176° 11′ W. From the North and South extreme points there is one continuation of small islands, covered with sand and rocks, which appear to have been once in a fluid state. The whole group presents the form of a crescent, the concave side of which, facing the W.S. W., encloses an extensive bay, with good anchorage all over it, in from 25 to 4 fathoms of water. There is an abundance of fine scale-fish in this bay, of various kinds. Turtles, seals, &c., resort to the islands. The water is very bold on the East side of this group, there being a depth of 100 fathoms within three times that distance from shore. On the West side, however, the water runs off shallow for a considerable distance to 35 fathoms. From thence it deepens very suddenly to 120 fathoms; and half a mile further off shore no soundings are to be found. The rookeries of sea-fowl on this group bear no comparison to those on Lisiansky Island, owing perhaps to the islands being so narrow, not one of them exceeding 100 fathoms in width from East to West, and all of them are destitute of vegetation. From the lava and pumice stone (?) to be seen here, I am led to believe that this whole group has been, at some distant period, one tremendous volcano. There is no fresh water to be found; but turtle and fish can be had in abundance at all seasons.‡

Capt. Stanikowitch makes its N.E. extremity in lat. 27° 49′ N., lon. 175° 37′ W., but the plan of Capt. Duperrey makes it 36′ more to the West. Lieutenant Raper takes the determination of Stanikowitch.§

CURÉ ISLAND is an American discovery, the existence of which was con

Nouvelles Annales des Voyages, 1845, p. 235.

+ Krusenstern's Supplement, p. 149.

Narrative, &c., pp. 217.8.

§ Krusenstern, vol. ii. p. 43; Supplement, p. 109; Horsburgh, vol. ii. p. 701.