320 E. T. Doane on the Atoll of Ebon. 
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there—for this is the basis of the statement—be owing rather to 
the heavy seas and winds which there prevail? The natives 
ever speak of the heavy winds of that latitude, 12° N. Islands 
have been desolated by them. We feel disposed to offer this as 
a solution of the fact. ' 
nother fact, we would state as common to the whole group ~ 
—is the existence of large ship channels on almost every side of — 
the lagoon. Mille possesses four large ones—three of them, 
and one, the largest of all, on the windward side. Jaluith has 
its reef pierced by as many—and much in the same position. 
While Majuro has its channel on the windward side only, and 
Ebon on the leeward, we cannot speak of more from personal 
observation—though the natives say the other islands possess 
many channels and in much the same position of those above 
mentioned. 
With these remarks upon the general features of the Marshall 
islands, we proceed to remark upon the atoll of Ebon. 
The position of this atoll is 4° 39’ north latitude, 168° 49’ 30” 
east longitude. This is the position, from the anchorage of the 
ship “Morning Star” in the Lagoon. The atoll is the most 
southern one of the Ralik range. It was discovered May 25th, 
1824, by Capt. George Ray who named it Boston Island. In 
1834 Capt. Covel thought it a new discovery, when it took his 
name, by which it is often called. The atoll is nearly circular 
and measures some twenty or twenty-five miles in circumference 
Except the passage on the west side of the reef, there is no other, 
not even a boat passage, in the whole circumference of the atoll. 
The reef however, at full tide, can be crossed by native craft. 
There is a tradition that once a passage existed, of sufficient ca- 
acity to admit ships, on the N.E. side, and that it was destroyed 
owever by some powerful spirit, in his rage, and the present 
passage opened. 
The natives possess also an interesting tradition concerning 
the existence of a high island as having once occupied the most of 
the lagoon. It is said the tall hills, covered with bread-fruit and 
cocoanut, reared themselves where now the flats in the lagoon 
exist. It is said also that what must then have been the barrier 
reef possessed Jand, which is now Ebon islet. The present pass- 
age is twelve or fourteen fathoms deep, and at the inflowing and 
outflowing of the tide has necessarily a very strong current, 
being the only outlet for the whole Jagoon—when the waters 
are lower than the reef. As it flows in, against a strong wind, ~ 
its presence may be traced quite across the lagoon, from the 
ripple of the waters and the white caps. The reef-flats near the 
passage in the lagoon are being covered with sand and other — 
a ae 
