4 BOWDITCH ISLAND. 



their landing, and the island affords no anchorage. While off this 

 island, the current was found setting to the northeast, at the rate of 

 twelve miles in the twenty-four hours. 



The positions in this neighbourhood where five islands have been 

 reported to exist, were diligently searched for eight days ; but no land 

 was seen, and Captain Hudson became satisfied that none but Wash- 

 ington Island is to be found. 



On the 20th December, they made Jarvis's Island, in latitude 0° 22' 

 33" S., and longitude 159° 54' 11" W. This is a small coral island, 

 triangular in shape, a mile and three-fourths in length east and west, 

 and a mile wide north and south. It exhibits the appearance of a white 

 sand-beach, ten or twelve feet above the sea, without a tree or shrub, 

 and but a few patches of grass. The sea breaks violently around its 

 shores, but no reef extends to any distance from the island, which may 

 be closely approached. A few sea-birds were seen about the island. 

 No landing could be attempted, the surf being too heavy. Captain 

 Hudson considers this a dangerous island for navigators. 



The Peacock and Flying-Fish, for the next fifteen days, were en- 

 gaged in searching for Brooks's Island, Clark's Reef and various 

 shoals ; but without success, and, after examining the neighbouring 

 sea, left the locality, fully satisfied that if any islands or shoals had 

 existed, in or near the places assigned to them, they must have been 

 seen. They experienced here a current, setting to the westward at 

 the rate of a mile an hour. Captain Hudson remarked, that although 

 they had experienced generally a current setting to the westward, yet, 

 almost invariably, the current-log gave a contrary result. 



In latitude 2° 55' S., longitude 160° 26' W., they found, by the 

 dipping-needle, that they had reached the magnetic equator, which 

 they followed until they reached longitude 171° W. 



On the 9th January, 1841, they made Enderbury's Island, of the 

 Phoenix Group, which has before been spoken of, as seen in the route 

 of the Vincennes from the Feejee to the Sandwich Islands. 



On the 11th, they made and surveyed Birnie's Island, which lies 

 southwest from Enderbury's, in latitude 3° 34' 15" S., longitude 171° 

 33' W. It has an elevation of no more than six feet above the sea ; is 

 about one mile long and a quarter of a mile wide, trending about 

 northwest and southeast. It is but a strip of coral, apparently uplifted, 

 and is exceedingly dangerous for vessels, as it cannot be seen from a 

 distance, and a vessel, in thick weather, would scarcely have time to 

 avoid it after it was discovered. 



A number of islands and reefs, reported to exist, were searched for 

 in this neighbourhood, viz. : Mary Balcout's, Brothers', Robertson's, 



