448 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1889. 



veen, that Davis's island was not identical with the one discovered by 

 him on April 7, J 722, and named Easter Island in commemoration of the 

 day upon which the land was sighted. Roggeveen says: 



When w.e approached neai'er the land we saw distinctly from a short distance that 

 the description of the sandy and low island did not accord in the least with our dis- 

 covery. Furthermore, it could not be the same laud which the aforesaid voyagers 

 claim to have seen stretching 14 to 16 leagues in front of them, and near the highland 

 which Dampier j udged to be the coast-line of the unknown south. That Easter Island 

 can not be the sandy island described by Davis is clear, because that was small and 

 low, while on the contrary Easter Island is high and towers above the sea, having 

 also two elevations rising above the level part. It would not be possible to mistake, 

 even at the dry season of the year, the grass and verdure that covers the hill-sides 

 for barren sand. After the Dutch custom of the day, the admiral assembled the com- 

 manders of the three vessels composing his fleet — the Arend, the African Galley, and 

 the Thienhoven — in council to pass formal resolutions claiming the discovery of the 

 land. The proceedings of the assembly state that on Easter day land was sighted 

 about 9 miles distant, of moderate height, and containing an area of about 6 Dutch 

 miles. The weather being calm the vessels were not able to secure an anchorage 

 near the laud until the next day. The island was found to be destitute of trees, but 

 with a fertile soil producing bananas, potatoes, and sugar-cane of extraordinary 

 thickness. It was unanimously agreed that both from the difference in the location 

 as well as the appearance of the land seen by Davis, the fact was established beyond 

 doubt that the island just discovered could not be the same. These proceedings, be- 

 ing drawn up, were formally signed by Jacob Roggeveen, Jan Koster, Cornelius Bon- 

 man, and Roelof Rosendaal. After sailing from Easter Tsland the vessels spent a 

 number of days in a search for the low sandy island described by Davis, but not with 

 success. 



The unreliable Behrens mentions in the " Two Years' Voyage " the 

 discovery of Easter Island by Eoggeveen on the day celebrated as the 

 resurrection of the Lord (April 6, 1722), in latitude 27 degrees south 

 and longitude 268 degrees west. 



Capt. F. W. Beechey, R. N., commanding H. M. S. Blossom (Novem- 

 ber, 1825), referring to the discovery of Easter Island, finds the credit 

 due to Davis, giving the following reasons for the conclusions drawn : 



Had such an island been in existence answering to the description of that seen by 

 Davis, geographers would not have been long in reconciling their opinions on the 

 subject of his discovery, as in all probability they would have waived their objec- 

 tions to its distance from Copiap6 in consideration of its identity. The subject of the 

 .supposed discovery has been often discussed; aud when the data are so unsatisfactory 

 as to allow one party to choose the islands of Felix and Ambrose for the land in ques- 

 tion, and the other Easter Island, two places nearly 1,600 miles apart, they are not 

 likely to be speedily reconciled unless two islands exactly answering the description 

 given by Davis, and situated in the proper latitude, shall be found. 



Without entering upon a question which presents so many difficulties, I shall 

 merely observe that, considering the rapid current that exists in the vicinity of the 

 Galapagos, and extends, though with diminished force, throughout the trade-wind, 

 the error in Davis's reckoning is not more than might have happened to any dull sail- 

 ing vessel circumstanced as he was. In a short run from Juan Fernandez to Easter 

 Tsland, Behrens, who was with Roggeveen, was drifted 318 geographical miles to the 

 westward of his supposed situation. II. M. S. Blossom in passing over the same ground 

 experienced a set of 270 miles in the short space of 18 days. M. La Perouse on his ar- 

 rival at Sandwich Islands from Concepcion, touching at Easter Island on his way, 



