CHAPTER XVI. 



(1 ) Cruise of the Peacock and Flying Fish. Washington Island. Phoenix 

 Group. — (2.) Duke of York's, Duke of Clarence, and Bowditch Islands. 

 Appearance of the Inhabitants.- — (3.) Visit to the Samoan Group. Burning 

 of the Heathen Towns. — (4.) Ellice's Group. Character of the Population. 

 Dress and Houses. — (5.) The Kingsmill Islands. Manners and Customs of 

 the Inhabitants. — (6.) Arrival at the Mouth of the Columbia River. Loss of 

 the Peacock. 



(1.) Rapidly speeding on their way to the south, the Peacock 

 and Flying Fish made the first land at Washington, or New 

 York Island, in latitude 40° 41' 35" N., and longitude 160° 

 15' 37" W. This is a charming little islet, rising only about 

 ten feet above the surface of the ocean, but fringed to the 

 very breakers with the graceful cocoas, whose long trailing 

 fronds are beautifully mirrored in the clear glassy waters of 

 the ocean, and with numerous other tropical trees and plants, 

 that fill the air with the perfume of their ripening fruit and 

 odorous flowers. It is only three and a quarter miles in 

 length, by one and a quarter in width, and is supposed to be 

 uninhabited. The American vessels were unable to send a 

 boat ashore in consequence of the heavy surf, but no evidences 

 of its being occupied by human beings were discovered ; and 

 the sea-birds are, in all probability, rarely, if ever, disturbed 

 in the shady retreats where they have built their nests, and 

 rear their young. 



Continuing on his southerly course, Captain Hudson 

 passed Jarvis Island, just south of the Equator, on the 20th 

 of December, and on the 9th of January, 1841, made Ender- 

 bury's Island, belonging to the Phoenix Group. Passing 

 through this cluster of coralline reefs and islands, — which lie 

 just north of five degrees southern latitude, and west of the 



