216 VOYAGE TO THE 



chap. W. by S. The barge and the ship circumnavigated 

 J1L this island before dark, and then kept under easy 

 j^e sail during the night. I learnt from Mr. Belcher, 

 who passed round the eastern side of the island, 

 that he had found an opening into the lagoon in 

 that direction, and had discovered near it two 

 anchors lying high up on the reef. 



At daylight next morning land was seen to the 

 southward, which on examination proved to be 

 another small coral island, three miles and three- 

 quarters in length, by three in width : its form is 

 nearly an oblong with the southern side much 

 curved. The lagoon in the centre was deep, its 

 boundary very low and narrow, and in places it 

 overflowed. Several ripplings were observed about 

 these islands, but we passed through them without 

 obtaining soundings. 



As soon as the plan of this island was completed, 

 we returned to that upon which the anchors were 

 observed, and spent the whole day in its examina- 

 tion. The lagoon was entered in the boats by a 

 channel sufficiently wide and deep for a vessel of the 

 class of the Blossom, and proved in every respect an 

 excellent harbour : in entering, however, it is neces- 

 sary to look out carefully for rocks, which rise sud- 

 denly to the surface, or within a very short distance 



of it. 



On landing at the back of the reef, we perceived 

 unequivocal signs of a shipwreck — part of a vessel's 

 keel and fore-foot, broken casks, a number of staves, 

 hoops, a ship's hatch marked VIII., some copper, 

 lead, &c, and the beach strewed with broken iron 

 hoops, and in their vicinity the anchors which were 

 discovered the preceding day : there were also broken 



