PAUMOTU GROUP. 337 



only succeeded in getting the last limb and good observations for time. 

 After four o'clock, we returned on board. This island is not inhabited, 

 and has only a small boat-entrance into its lagoon, on the west side. 

 The coral belt is similar to that last described ; it was found to be 

 upwards of half a mile in width, and was covered with the same kind 

 of vegetation as the last, excepting cocoa-nut trees, of which none were 

 found on the island. The lagoon is quite shallow. A favourite fish 

 with the natives is found in it, and at certain seasons they visit the 

 island for the purpose of catching them. The coral shelf varied from 

 two to five hundred feet in breadth. 



Being desirous of making the examination of as many of the coral 

 islands as possible, I now despatched the Peacock to the Arutua or 

 Rurick Islands, with directions to examine them, and then to proceed 

 along the south side of Dean's Island, whilst, in the Vincennes, I steered 

 for the north side of the latter, to pass along it. We then parted 

 company, and Dean's Island was made by us the next morning. After 

 establishing our position, we ran along the northern shore, and reached 

 its western point at 4 p. m. Off this point we obtained sights for our 

 chronometers, which put it in longitude 147° 58' 34" W., latitude 15° 

 05' 15" S. During the day we passed an entrance into its lagoon, and 

 some natives came off from a small village, in two canoes, to visit us. 

 They acknowledged themselves subjects of Queen Pomare of Tahiti, 

 and were very desirous we should land. They brought off a few shells, 

 and told us they had many fowls, pigs, taro, &c. There are several 

 islets in the lagoon covered with trees. Vast numbers of large blocks 

 were seen lying on its reef. The shore-reef is not more than two 

 hundred feet wide, and is composed of only one shelf. The current was 

 tried, but none was found. We had the wind very fresh from east-by- 

 north all day. When off the western point we discovered Krusen- 

 stern's Island to the west, and hauled up to pass between it and Nairsa. 

 The passage was found to be twelve and two-thirds miles wide, and 

 free from all danger. In the evening I stood for Metia Island, to the 

 southward. Nairsa or Dean's Island was found to be sixty-six miles 

 in length. 



On the morning of the 9th of September we were in sight of Metia 

 or Aurora Island, the north end of which is in latitude 15° 49' 35" S., 

 longitude 148° 13' 15" W. It was totally different in appearance 

 from those we had met with, though evidently of the same formation. 

 It was a coral island uplifted, exposing its formation distinctly, and as 

 such was very interesting. On approaching its eastern end, I sounded 

 at about one hundred and fifty feet from its perpendicular cliff, and 

 found no bottom with one hundred and fifty fathoms of line. The 



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