Adventures of the Explorers 143 



" a passage of fourteen fathoms of water " straight 

 into the heart of the peak. Through this narrow 

 passage the venturesome captain steered his ship 

 until she was floating in the centre of the ancient 

 crater, which, to his eyes, "had the appearance 

 of an immense bowl." Who but a whaler would 

 have dared to steer into such a harbor ? 



Then imagine the feelings of the whalers who 

 were the first white men to land on Fanning's 

 Island. It was "a lagoon island, the land about 

 five feet above the surface of the water." On this 

 low reef the sailors found " the remains of a stone 

 hut about twelve feet square, and in it human 

 bones, stone hatchets, and blackfish teeth with 

 holes drilled through them. Some parts of the 

 island had been cultivated, as appeared by the 

 gardens, fences of stone, &c., remaining." 



The remainder of this story will be readily 

 imagined by those familiar with those waters. 

 Most remarkable navigators were the natives of 

 some parts of the Pacific. With "tracks" 

 charts made of interlaced and curiously woven 

 sticks, they steered boldly forth, following not only 

 straight courses but crossing currents, and turning 



