388 HONOLULU. 



On the 17th, we passed the position where an island has been re- 

 ported to exist, but saw nothing of it ; and the wind was again from 

 northeast and east-northeast. The sick that had been received in the 

 Vincennes from the Porpoise were all recovering rapidly. 



On the 18th, the weather was fine and the wind still light; tropic- 

 birds and tern were seen, and a constant look-out was kept, in the 

 expectation of seeing land. This was the second anniversary of our 

 sailing from the United States. 



On the 19th, we made an island in the neighbourhood of the posi- 

 tion assigned to Kemins' or Gardner's Island. Its true place is in 

 latitude 4° 37' 42" S., longitude 174° 40' 18" W. This is a low 

 coral island, having a shallow lagoon in the centre, into which there 

 is no navigable passage; but the reef on the western side is so low 

 that the tide can flow into the lagoon. 



When near enough to the island, the boats were lowered, and a 

 number of officers and men landed, after passing for a considerable 

 distance through a dangerous surf, breaking with violence over that 

 part of the reef through which the tide flows into the shallow lagoon. 

 The remainder of the reef which forms the island, is white coral 

 sand, about three hundred feet wide, on which there is a vegetation 

 that, unlike that of the other low islands of Polynesia, is devoid of 

 low shrubbery. 



Birds were numerous on the island, and very tame ; the tropic-birds 

 so much so that some of the sailors amused themselves by collecting 

 their beautiful tail-feathers, which they twitched from the bird while 

 it sat on its nest, — an operation which the bird often bore without being- 

 disturbed. 



Besides birds, a large rat was found on this island. 



The flood here sets strong to the northward, and the rise and fall of 

 the tide was four and a half feet. No coral blocks were seen on this 

 island, and it is less elevated above the water than those further to the 

 eastward. The soil, however, appeared to be better than upon those, 

 the coral sand being finer, and mixed with a greater quantity of vege- 

 table mould. To this may be ascribed the larger growth of the trees 

 upon it, which, although of the same kinds as those which have been 

 already mentioned as found growing on the coral islands, are forty or 

 fifty feet in height. The island may be seen on a clear day at the 

 distance of fifteen miles. 



Believing this to be the island discovered by Captain Gardner, I 

 have retained his name. 



