594 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1818. 



It it probable that the first 

 distance, that taken from Fatsisio, 

 is nearly correct, and that the 

 errors of the general chart arose 

 from the geographer not knowing 

 how to reduce and retain his 

 design within the prescribed 

 limits. This circumstance also 

 explains the reason why Capt. 

 Gore and Admiral Krusenstern 

 did not perceive and fall in with 

 the ,Bonin groupe after leaving 

 Sulphur Island — it is that they 

 did not reach the 25th parallel of 

 south latitude — as I have been 

 obliged to represent it for the 

 sake of conformity with my ori- 

 ginal. According to Kaempfer, 

 Fatsisio, where state criminals 

 are confined, is the most southern 

 Japanese island on the eastern 

 side. The green colour, which 

 is appropriated to the Japanese 

 possessions, is extended on my 

 chart to some islets situated south- 

 east of Fatsisio, of which Ardo 

 Sima, or the Blue Island, is the 

 chief. From Fatsisio to the first 

 islet marked red, that is belong- 

 ing to the groupe of uninhabited 

 islands, the distance to the south 

 is estimated at one hundred and 

 eighty Ri, making about eighty 



island according to the Japanese 

 chart, 27° 30', — distance to the 

 southern island twenty Ri, or near 

 ten leagues; — latitude of the southern 

 island according to the same chart 

 27". Some islets situated further 

 south are at too small a distance from 

 this for the whole groupe to be sup- 

 posed to extend 269.30'. The dis- 

 tance between the principal islands 

 is marked on the chart in Ri, of 

 about fifty to a degree, with Arabic 

 figures, and their circumference in 

 Roman numerals. These estimates 

 are taken from the particular Japa- 

 nese chart. 



leagues. Eight Ri from thence 

 to the second islet, then seven 

 to the third, then three to an 

 island without any particular 

 name, although five Ri in circum^ 

 ference. This island is moun- 

 tainous, and overgrown with 

 wood. To the south is another 

 woody island, seven Ri in circum- 

 ference, on whose western side is 

 a stream of fresh water. From 

 thence is a passage into the prin- 

 cipal island called the Northern 

 Island, whose very irregular con- 

 tour is estimated at fifteen Ri, or 

 seven and a half leagues. In the 

 eastern part is a temple dedicated 

 to the Spirits. On the northern 

 side the coast advances, follow- 

 ing a chain of mountains, with a 

 large village on the west side : 

 this habitation has no other name. 

 Towards the middle of the isle, 

 on the northern part, is a village 

 named 0-moula. The rest of 

 the country is covered with trees 

 and valuable plants, except a 

 square and a level tract, four 

 ting in extent, on the western 

 point. 0-moula is situated in 

 latitude twenty- seven and a half. 

 From the northern to the 

 southern isle, twenty Ri is reck- 

 oned ; this is ten Ri in circuit, 

 and is exactly under the twenty- 

 seventh parallel. It is moun- 

 tainous in almost every part, and 

 covered with very large trees, 

 except toward the south, where 

 there is an open plain. To the 

 south and south-east are two 

 other inlands, one two, the other 

 three Ri in circumference, both 

 covered with trees. Besides 

 these, there are a multitude of 

 islands, whose magnitude and 

 relative distance are not noticed ; 

 most of them are covered with 



wood, 



