128 EAMBLES OP A NATUEALIST. [Oh. Vin. 



I 



replace it then and there ; and had therefore for the present 

 to content myself with the towing-net, which yielded a 

 number of minute banded fishes, Medusae, Sagittae, and the 

 Pteropods Cleodora and Hyalsea. 



Having fixed the position of the Ealeigh Eock, we then 

 went m search of Eecruit Island, or any other similar ob- 

 ject which could have given rise to the descriptions of a 

 rock 90 feet high, and standing on a base of 60 feet, looking 

 from a distance " like a junk under sail." But although we 

 went ten miles further east, and searched carefully over the 

 position assigned in the Admiralty charts — Belcher's, the 

 Ealeigh's, Croudace's, Horsburgh's, and Lyall's — we failed 

 in finding any sign of an island or rock ; and the conclusion 

 was forced upon us that the island I have described was at 

 once the Ealeigh Eock and Eecruit Island ; and this object, 

 whose very existence had become somewhat mji;hical, had 

 now taken, and would henceforth keep, a definite and 

 authentic position upon the map of the North Pacific. 



An uniform depth of 70 to 80 fathoms existed everywhere 

 ai'ound the Ealeigh Eock, and the lead constantly brought 

 up sand, foraminifera, shells and echinus' spines. The 

 object of this excursion being now accomplished, we returned 

 once more to Ke-lung harbour ; but only to make prepara- 

 tions for finally quitting it for the Chinese coast. 



