6 TONGA TABOO. 



them of its truth. These men were upwards of twenty days on board 

 the Herald, and yet I was told that they were throughout consistent 

 in their account of the alleged misfortune, and apparently showed 

 much proper feeling for the fate that had befallen their companions. 



Until the 19th we had light breezes; in the afternoon of this day 

 we saw the appearance of a water-spout, forming about half a mile 

 from the ship : the water was seen flying up, as if from a circle of 

 fifty feet in diameter, throwing off jets from the circumference of the 

 circle, not unlike a willow basket in shape, and having a circular 

 motion from right to left. There was a heavy black cloud over it, but 

 no descending tube ; and it did not appear to have any progressive 

 motion. Desirous of getting near, I kept the ship off for it, but we 

 had little wind : the cloud dispersed, and the whole was dissipated 

 before we got near to it. The electrometer showed no change. 



The next day, the 20th of April, in latitude 24° 26' S., longitude 

 174° 47' 30" W., we took the trades from about east : passed over the 

 position assigned to the island of Vasquez, but saw nothing of it. 

 Some appearance of land existing to the eastward, the Porpoise was 

 despatched to look for it. 



On the 22d, we made the island of Eooa, and that of Tongataboo. 

 The wind the whole day was very variable, with squalls and heavy 

 rain ; and it being too late to run through the long canal that leads to 

 the harbour, I deemed it most prudent to haul off for the night. A 

 southerly current drove us further off than I anticipated, and we did 

 not succeed the next day in regaining our position. We experienced 

 much lightning and rain, with the wind strong from the eastward. 

 On the 24th, at 1 p. M., we rounded the eastern end of Tongataboo, 

 and stood down through the Astrolabe canal. This is a dangerous 

 passage, and ought not to be attempted when the wind is variable or 

 light : it is nine miles in length, and passes between two coral reefs, 

 where there is no anchorage. It was at the western end of it that the 

 Astrolabe was near being wrecked, in 1827. It is from a half to one 

 mile wide, gradually narrowing, until the small island of Mahoga 

 appears to close the passage. When nearly up to this island, the 

 passage takes a short and narrow turn to the northward : in turning 

 round into this pass, I was aware of a coral patch, laid down by the 

 Astrolabe, and hauled up to avoid it, by passing to the eastward ; but 

 the danger was nearer the reef than laid down, and the sun's glare 

 being strong, we were unable to see it, and ran directly upon it. 

 For a moment the ship's way was stopped, but the obstacle broke 



