WRECK ISLAND. 1 1 



discerned at a mile distance from a ship's mast- 

 head, in consequence of its greenish hue contrasting 

 with the blue of deep water. In seven fathoms 

 water the bottom can still be discerned on looking 

 over the side of a boat, especially if it have 

 patches of light-coloured sand ; but in ten fa- 

 thoms the depth of colour can scarcely be dis- 

 tinguished from the dark azure of the unfathomable 

 ocean. 



Sharks were very numerous and of great size and 

 strength ; one was hooked one day under the bows 

 of the ship, and while in the water he was har- 

 pooned, pierced with a whale lance, and another 

 very strong hook and line fastened in his jaws, but 

 before a sufficiently large rope could be passed 

 round his body to hoist him in by, he bent both the 

 harpoon and the lance, disengaged himself from 

 them and breaking both lines, got away. Many 

 however were caught, remarkable for their great 

 girth round the shoulders and capacity of mouth. 



Jan. 18. — Landed with Captain Blackwood on 

 Wreck Island. This was so named from part of an 

 old wreck that lay on the reef, apparently of a 

 vessel of 6 or 700 tons. The island was about a 

 quarter of a mile long, and not more than 100 yards 

 broad ; a pile of sand covered by thick bushes. Its 

 greatest length was in a N.N.E. and S.S.W. direction, 

 and along each side of it ran sloping beds of brown 

 coral rock, exactly like that described before, dip- 

 ping on each side from the island at an angle of 8°, 



