202 EXPEDITION TO JAPAN. 



The geological formation of the island is trappean, with its various configurations and 

 mineralogical peculiarities; columnar basalt appears, and hornblende and chalcedony are found. 

 There are all the indications of past volcanic action, and the oldest resident of Peel Island stated 

 that two or three tremblings of the earthy, giving evidence of a liability to earthquake, are 

 experienced annually even now. 



The harbor of Port Lloyd (as Beechey named it) is on the western side, and nearly in the 

 centre of Peel Island. It is easy of ingress and egress, and may be considered as safe and 

 commodious, though of deep ancliorage. Vessels usually anchor in from eighteen to twenty- 

 two fathoms. The port is laid down on Beechey's chart as in latitude 2T° 5' 35" north, and 

 142° 11' 30" east longitude. This position, however, is believed to be erroneous, for, according 

 to two sets of observations, made by the master of the Susquehanna, the longitude was found 

 to be 142° 16' 30" east; five miles more to the eastward than Beechey makes it. The safest 

 anchorage is to be found as high up the harbor as a ship can conveniently go, having regard to 

 depth and room for swinging and veering cable. Beechey's directions for entering the port aro 

 sufficiently correct, and these, together with the Commodore's own observations, will be found 

 in the Appendix. 



AVood and water can be procured in abundance, though the former must be cut by the crew, 

 and taken on board the ship green. The water is obtained from running streams, and is of 

 good quality. Timber for building purposes is rather scarce, and would soon be exhausted if 

 any increase of population were to render the erection of many houses necessary. The best 

 kinds of wood are the jamana and wild mulberry, the former of which is very like the red wood 

 of Brazil and Mexico, and is very enduring. 



The harbor of Port Lloyd and the neighboring waters abound with excellent fish, which may 

 be taken by the hook or net, although the places for hauling the seine are few, owing to the 

 coral which in many parts lines the shores. The best place for this purpose is upon the beach 

 which borders "Ten Fathom Hole," a deep portion of the bay which is close to the coral reef 

 that extends out from the shore. The varieties offish are not numerous; among those taken in 

 the seine belonging to the Susquehanna there were but five observed: the mullet, which 

 seemed to be the most abundant, two varieties of perch, the gar, and the common ray. Sharks 

 are very numerous, and, when quite small, frequent the shallow places among the coral rocks, 

 and are there pursued by the dogs, seized upon and dragged on shore. 



There is an abundance of excellent green turtle, of which the ships obtained large supplies ; 

 there are also plenty of cray fish. The varieties of the testacea are numerous, but none 

 that was observed of any rarity, and none edible except the chama gigas, which, however, is 

 very tough and indigestible. The family of the Crustacea is very extensive, of which the land 

 crab forms the chief part, and which exists in every variety of size, form, and color; one of the 

 most abounding is that which is commonly known as the "pirate." This animal can be seen 

 in every direction near the shore, travelling about with its odd-looking domicil upon its back, 

 which it seems to have got possession of rather by chance than from choice. The "pirate" has 

 no home of its own, but appropriates, whence its name, that which belongs to others. It has a 

 decided preference for the shells of the buccina, murex, and bulla, which have the comfortable 

 proportions of an inch and a half or so in length ; but if such desirable quarters should, by any 

 mischance, happen to be scarce, the "pirate" readily turns into the next most suitable dwelling 

 of some neighbor at hand. It is necessary that the animal should have some snug corner 



