1777 THE pacific OCEAN. 283 



What is comprehended under the name of Pal- 

 merston's Island, is a group of small islots, of which 

 there are, in the whole, nine or ten, lying in a cir- 

 cular direction, and connected together by a reef of 

 coral rocks. The boats first examined the south 

 easternmost of the islots which compose this group, 

 and failing there, ran down to the second, where 

 we had the satisfaction to see them land. I 

 then bore down with the ships till abreast of the 

 place, and there we kept standing off and on ; for 

 no bottom was to be found to anchor upon, which 

 was not of much consequence, as the party who had 

 landed from our boats were the only human beings 

 upon the island. 



About one o'clock, one of the boats came on 

 board, laden with scurvy-grass and young cocoa-nut 

 trees, which at this time, was a feast for the cattle. 

 The same boat brought a message from Mr. Gore, 

 who commanded the party, informing me, that there 

 was plenty of such produce upon the island, as also 

 of the xvharra tree, and some cocoa-nuts. This 

 determined me to get a good supply of these articles 

 before I quitted this station, and before evening, 

 I went ashore in a small boat, accompanied by 

 Captain Clerke. 



We found every body hard at work, and the 

 landing-place to be in a small creek, formed by the 

 reef, of something more than a boat's length in 

 every direction, and covered from the force of the 

 sea by rocks projecting out on each side of it. The 

 island is scarcely a mile in circuit ; and not above 

 three feet higher than the level of the sea. It appear- 

 ed to be composed entirely of a coral sand, with a 

 small mixture of blackish mould, produced from 

 rotten vegetables. Notwithstanding this poor soil, 

 it is covered with trees and bushes of the same kind 

 as at Wenooa-ette, though with less variety ; and 

 amongst these are some cocoa-palms. Upon the 

 trees or bushes that front the sea, or even farther 



