HONOLULU. 379 
might have been saved by the natives. The white man gave the fol- 
lowing further particulars of the wreck. 
The eight persons who were left on the wreck, (with the exception 
of the boy, who was drowned in falling from the main-top,) succeeded 
in reaching the island on the jib-boom the day after the accident, (22d 
of June,) and were kindly treated by the natives. Two or three days 
afterwards, a boat from a whale-ship, (supposed to have been the Cla- 
rendon,) coming from the Hapai Islands, called at the island, and took 
them off. Twenty casks of the oil, which had drifted ashore, had 
been saved by the natives, and were purchased by the owner of the 
Currency Lass, who arrived on the 3d of August. This purchase was 
made in a most extraordinary manner, and by way of showing it, I 
have inserted the bill of sale in Appendix XIX. Some flour, cordage, 
canvass, and clothing, which had been seized by some natives from 
Lakemba, had been recovered; and a portion of the oil had also 
drifted on the weather islands of the Feejee Group, and had there been 
secured by the natives.* 
An anchor, chain, and smaller cable, with the main-mast, were still 
on the reef. The Shylock struck on the northwest side of the reef, 
which is detached, being two and a half miles from the island, with a 
clear passage between them. The reef is of an elliptical form, six 
and a half miles long, by three and a quarter wide, and has heavy 
breakers on all sides, forming a lagoon, with some narrow boat- 
entrances on the northwest side. The current was found setting five- 
eighths of a mile per hour to the east. 
Vatoa, or Turtle Island, as determined by the Porpoise, lies in lati- 
tude 19° 50’ S., longitude 178° 37' 45’. W. It was found to be three 
miles long, by one and a quarter miles wide. The reef extends all 
around the island, and is from one and a half to two miles wide. The 
island contains about fifty inhabitants, who have native missionaries, 
and are Christians; they have but a scanty supply of food, and no 
water is to be obtained. 
The Porpoise now made sail for Vavao, the northernmost of the 
Friendly Islands. On the 29th, they passed the islands of Lati, Too- 
fona, and Koa. ‘The first and last have high conical peaks, while 
Toofona is comparatively low. The latter is the only active volcano 
here, and is said to be in almost constant action; smoke was seen 
issuing from it. The cooper of the Shylock, who was put on board 
the Porpoise, landed on it from the boats on his way to Vavao. He 
* This was an additional proof that the current sets the same way as we experienced in 
May last. 
