312 SHOCK OF EARTHQUAKE. [1845. 



into troubled water (heavy overfalls) to the westward, 

 records, " 6. 45, ship touched the ground", but no bot- 

 tom with fifty fathoms; and it is, I believe, at this 

 moment firmly adhered to by the unbelieving, that she 

 did touch, but did not stop or receive any damage. 



Having completed our operations here, making the 

 position of the N.W. end of the island in Lat. 22 38' 

 20" N. Long. 121 26' E., we embarked at 8. 30, the 

 following morning, and shaping our course for the Meia- 

 co-shimas, on the 6th of June, reached the Island of Kumi 

 of the charts, Y-nah-koo of the natives. Provisioning one of 

 the cutters for seven days, the master was despatched in 

 her to land, erect stations, and make the necessary prepa- 

 rations for the survey of this island ; but the immediate 

 object in view was to prepare the inhabitants for my visit, 

 and to find out the best position for landing, in order 

 that the delay arising from explanation, &c , might not 

 frustrate the measurement of the meridian distance 

 within the shortest interval. Passing on in the ship we 

 reached Port Haddington on the 8th, about two, A.M. 

 Our friends were not, however, so soon at the beach 

 as we had anticipated, and after the chief had made 

 his appearance, and resumed his customary familiarity, I 

 thought that I could discern something not exactly like 

 a want of cordiality, but rather a fear of some influence 

 which prevented the exhibition of that natural feeling of 

 friendship so freely exhibited at our last visit. Having 

 completed water, we quitted on the 9th and on the fol- 

 lowing evening landed at Y-nah-koo, where we found 

 that the authorities had behaved very civilly to the 

 master and his party, and appeared to be fully prepared 

 to further our wishes in the examination of the island : 



