310 EMBARKATION DIFFICULT. [1845. 



natural history, for which we had made inquiry, and 

 which our short visit precluded obtaining at present. We 

 now found that quitting the island was not such an easy 

 matter, and our patience was severely tested, it being 

 necessary to transfer instruments backwards and forwards 

 as often as opportunities for embarking seemed to offer. 

 Even when attempted it was hazardous ; but trusting to 

 the skill of my own well-tried crew, added to the supe- 

 riority of our pet cutter, it was achieved without damage 

 to instruments ; although with rather more of the cold 

 bath than suited the constitution of some of our party, 

 having to pull some distance in their wet clothes, exposed 

 to a glaring sun before we regained the ship. After 

 being forced by the currents past the north end of Ibayat, 

 we bore up for Batan, and reached our anchorage on the 

 28th, completed observations, stock, &c., and again quitted 

 on the 29th, coasting the eastern sides of Ibayat, Siayan, &c. 



The following morning we found ourselves close off 

 Yami or the northernmost of the Batanes Group, and 

 were fortunate enough to effect a landing on a detached 

 islet, and obtain its position. This enabled us to efface 

 from the chart the islets termed North Bashees, which 

 have no existence in the position assigned to them, nor 

 in the visual radius from the mast-head position of the 

 'Samarang', 108 feet above the level of the sea. The 

 channel between the two northernmost islands is safe, 

 and carries soundings, but too deep for anchorage, as 

 well as the bottom being rocky. The position of the 

 islet lying off the south extremity of Yami, is in Lat. 21 

 5' N. Long. 121 54' E. 



Our next object was to search for Ladd's rock laid 



