16 Miscellaneous Facts. 
Volcanic and Coral Rocks. 
Not a fragment of rock was found at this or the Island of Tahiti, 
except what was volcanic or coral, and none is said to exist in those 
seas. Did the waves of the ocean once roll from America to China 
and New Holland, without an islet to interrupt their course, till the 
coral insect raised up its circular wall, from within which, the volcano 
burst forth? For, the low coral islands are generally of a crescent 
or circular form, and around the mountainous islands are found coral 
reefs. ‘The Sandwich and Society Islands are all mountainous, each 
cluster containing about ten islands. In crossing the equator, and 
generally between the tropics, the same phenomena were observed 
on that side, as observed by Humboldt on this. ‘The temperature 
was from 80° to 83°, the currents of the water and air were west- 
ward, but the upper strata of clouds show the wind above to be in the 
opposite direction. ‘The temperature of the water was generally 81°. 
Society Islands. 
The approach to the Society Islands, presents a truly romantic 
appearance, and when we reached their reefs and sandy shores, 
shaded with cocoa trees and backed by varied and rich vegetation, 
we could feel no surprise at the delight of the seamen, so often de- 
scribed. Still, the number of the natives is said to have diminished 
one half in twenty five years, although the climate appears not un- 
healthy ; but the generous natives of these numerous islands, pass away 
as do those of the American continent at the approach of Europeans. 
Passage around Cape Horn—Arrival. 
We passed Cape Horn the first of May; when above lat. 50°, 
we had frequent squalls of snow and hail, but it froze only once, and 
then when directly off the Cape, the water was at 43°, while the air 
was from that down to 32°, and extremely damp, the sun being, at 
noon, but 17° high in the north. 
We hear much of the uniformity of the Trade winds, but in that 
ocean the winds above 30° of N. and S. lat., appear to blow almost 
as constantly from the west as the trades from the east. ‘There is 
always a difficulty in getting from the Atlantic mto the Pacific, but in 
returning, the wind, as uniformly, favors the navigator. ‘That ocean, 
from its extent, gives the winds their natural play, let the reason of 
their courses be what it may. Stopping at Brazil, we reached Nor- 
folk on the 16th of July last, and this place on the 22d, and observ- 
ed, in this ocean, similar phenomena to those seen in the other. 
