BOWDITCH ISLAND. 19 



saw the sparks emanating from the flint and steel, and the emission 

 of smoke from the mouths of those who were smoking cigars. 



Dip and intensity observations were made here. 



Upon reaching the ship, Captain Hudson determined to bear away 

 for the situation of the island of the Gente Hermosas of Quiros. 



They had reached the vicinity on the 31st of January, where they 

 searched until the following day, when they made land, but were 

 unable to finish the survey of the island for four days. Boats were 

 sent to effect a landing, but the surf was found to be too heavy, and 

 one that approached too near was caught in the rollers and thrown 

 on the coral reef, fortunately without harm to any of the crew ; the 

 boat, however, was somewhat injured. 



The position of this island is in longitude 170° 55' 15" W., and lati- 

 tude 11° 05' 00" S. ; it is of coral formation, but has no lagoon; it is 

 nearly round, and four miles and three-tenths in circumference; it 

 may be classed with the high coral islands, and is elevated from 

 fifteen to twenty-five feet above the level of the sea ; it is well wooded 

 with cocoa-nuts, pandanus, and other trees and shrubs. The sea 

 breaks constantly on all parts, and no safe landing exists. Its situa- 

 tion differs from the position laid down for that of Quiros. Captain 

 Hudson therefore called it Swain's Island, after the master of a 

 whaler, who had informed him of its existence. When within a 

 mile of the island, no bottom could be had with two hundred fathoms 

 of line. This isolated spot gave no other evidence of its ever having 

 been inhabited, except the groves of cocoa-nut trees. Pigeons, similar 

 to those seen at the Samoan Group, were observed. 



After securing observations for its position, the vessels bore away 

 for Upolu, with the westerly breeze, which had continued for the last 

 eight days, and been almost constant. This will serve to show that 

 there is no real difficulty in the population of Polynesia migrating 

 from west to east during this season of the year, when the trade-winds 

 are almost entirely interrupted. 



Until the 4th of February they had bad weather, and heavy squalls 

 accompanied with thunder and lightning. 



On the 5th of February, the mountains of Savaii were dimly 

 visible, although they were between fifty and sixty miles off. On 

 the 6th, they were off the island of Upolu, when Captain Hudson, 

 to lose no time, despatched the tender, with two boats, to survey the 

 south side of the island, while the launch, with the first cutter, was 



