REPORT 



UPON 



THE EXPLORATION OF PEEL ISLAND 



BY BAYARD TAYLOR, Esq. 



U. S. Steamer Susqtjehannah, 



June 18, 1853. 



Sir: I have the honor to submit to you, in accordance with your instructions, the following 

 report of an exploration of Peel Island, in the Bonin group: 



It was arranged between Dr. Fahs and myself, that he should land- at the northwestern ex- 

 tremity of Port Lloyd, and explore the ranges of hills which surround that bay, comprising the 

 northern half of the island; while my party, landing at the watering-place, at the southeastern 

 corner of the bay, should strike thence across the island to its southern extremity. I subjoin a 

 sketch map* of the island, showing the route I took, and the topography of the interior, so far 

 as my observations extended. 



The party under my charge consisted of Mr. Heine, artist ; Mr. Boarclrnan, midshipman ; Mr. 

 Lawrence, assistant engineer; Mr. Hampton, purser's steward; Smith, marine; Dennis Terry, 

 seaman; and a Chinese coolie. We left the ship at 5* o'clock on Wednesday morning, the 15th 

 instant, and were put ashore on the beach near Castle Eock. At this point two ravines descend 

 into the bay — one from the eastward, the other from the southward. -The latter was pointed 

 out to me by one of the settlers as affording the easiest access into the interior of the island. 

 We found a hut near the beach, inhabited by a Kanaka, who refused to accompany me as guide, 

 but pointed out a small foot-path, which he said led across the hills to another Kanaka settle- 

 ment, about three miles distant. 



We plunged at once into a wilderness of dense vegetation, which afforded a faint type of our 

 experience for the rest of the day. The trail, so faint as hardly to be discerned, was steep and 

 slippery; the plants were wet with a heavy dew, and the wild parasitic vines, which hung from 

 tree to tree, continually caught us in their toils. The trees were principally palm, among which I 

 noticed the true sago-palm, from which the sago of commerce is made. Further up, I found the 

 areca, or betel-nut palm, and another variety resembling the cocoanut. The soil was a rich dark- 

 red loam, composed of disintegrated trap rock and vegetable mould. The same soil prevails all 

 over the island, except on the northern shore of Port Lloyd, where it is mixed with a greyish 



~ See map in Vol. I, page 197. 



