226 PACIFIC AND 



did not succeed in overtaking. Captain Macy supposes, from the 

 appearance of the natives, and the few articles he saw in the ca- 

 noe which visited the ship, that they have never had an intercourse 

 with, or knowledge of, civilized people* The latitude of the island 

 is 8 52' S. long. 157 23 X W. Whether this be a new island or 

 not, is a subject of curious inquiry ; and certain it is, our know- 

 ledge of it is very imperfect. 



From the account given by Captain Allen, the dangerous reef 

 of rocks near Cape St. Roque is erroneously laid down on the 

 charts. He experienced moderate weather while in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the island, which subjected his vessel to a strong 

 westerly current, causing her to fall to leeward of the port about 

 90 miles of latitude. May 24th, land was seen W. S. W. and W. 

 20 miles, latitude, by observation, 5 24' S. Stood in, and at the 

 distance of 10 miles from land tacked off, being 24 miles south of 

 Cape shoals, by the chart. Observed the day following 5 25' 

 S., and stood in towards the S. W. and W. S. W., working to 

 windward ; and, 4^- hours after, with my position, as per chart, 25 

 miles south of the shoals, the prominent headlands being precisely 

 as the day before, and judging the same distance off, (10 miles,) 

 while in the act of veering, the vessel struck on the reef, bilged, 

 and filled m three hours ; proving, according to my observation, 

 and information subsequently obtained on shore, that the shoals 

 were placed on the chart erroneously 25 to 30 miles ; latitude by 

 chart 5, their true latitude 5 25' to 5 30 X . The Cape is also 

 erroneously laid down, authors differing from 5 03 X to 5 34 X S. 

 The latest edition of the "American Coast Pilot" places them 

 nearly in their true position. 



Captain M. Hart, on a late trading voyage from New York to 

 the Northwest coast, from thence to Canton, and back to New 

 York, via the Sandwich islands, embraced every opportunity in 

 his power to obtain the true position of islands, shoals, rocks, reefs, 

 &c., and the accuracy with which they are laid down in the charts 



