PENRHYN ISLAND. 265 



On the 22d, several of the officers visited the island. Its population 

 consisted of about twenty-five men, women, and children, among whom 

 was the daughter of the old chief, considered by our officers as a very 

 beautiful girl, with fine figure, expressive countenance, and long silky 

 hair : she was sprightly, but I regret to say, was covered with vermin. 

 The children were fat and chubby. 



Dip and intensity observations were made here, and observations 

 on shore for time and variation. 



The village consisted of about six huts, which were extremely filthy 

 and smelt more like fish-houses than human habitations. All the 

 inhabitants seemed contented on this small and barren isle, which they 

 called Tuinaki, and which is, in every point of view, one of the most 

 uninteresting of the group. The poor creatures, in obedience to their 

 directions, were setting out cocoa-nut plantations, which were seen 

 growing all over the island : the trees w T ere planted in pits about three 

 feet deep, in order to afford them moisture, and to protect them from 

 the winds. A small spring supplied the inhabitants with water. 



Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold, having finished all the necessary 

 observations, proceeded, on the 23d, in search of some islands to the 

 eastward. On the 26th they made the island of Raroia, or Barclay de 

 Tolly, and passed close to it. The position assigned to it on the charts 

 proved to be correct. 



On the 27th, they made Takurea, or Wolconsky, w T ith Raroia in 

 sight to the southward : there is a passage between them seven miles 

 wide. The former, Wolconsky, is of an oblong shape, ten miles in 

 circumference: its north end is high and thickly wooded with cocoa- 

 nut groves and other trees : its eastern boundary is partly a submerged 

 reef. There is no opening to its lagoon. It was found to be incor- 

 rectly placed on the charts. 



On the 29th, one of the Sandwich Islanders died of a severe attack 

 of dysentery, and in the afternoon his body was committed to the deep 

 with the usual funeral ceremonies. 



The search after Camboy's and Merril Islands proved unsuccessful. 

 The position assigned to them, longitude 141° W., latitude 15° 18' S. 

 having been cruised over without any appearance whatever of land. 



On the 5th of January, they passed near Taweree, or Resolution 

 Island, but found there was too much surf to land upon it. There were 

 about twenty inhabitants, who, on the approach of the brig, came 

 running to the beach with cocoa-nuts to barter. They appeared to be 

 stout men, and were thought to resemble the natives seen at Clermont 

 de Tonnerre. 



Taweree consists of two small isles, together about four miles in 

 vol. iv. x 34 



