HONOLULU. 37] 
clinky sound heretofore noticed, and are likewise of compact coral 
rock. The bottom of the lagoon is entirely formed of these, and is 
in places below the level of high tide. The slabs are thrown and 
piled in all manner of ways, and are generally about the size and 
thickness of tombstones. They have the appearance of having once 
formed an extensive pavement that is now broken up in all manner of 
ways, and would, if laid down, cover, according to estimation, a much 
larger extent than the whole island. 
The island was found to be three miles long, by two and a half 
wide. The southern end is the widest, and on it are two clumps of 
stunted shrubs and plants, consisting of Cordia, Tournefortia, Portu- 
laca, Boerhaavia, &c. The northern end is almost bare of vegetation, 
with the exception of a small running vine (Convolvulus maritima). 
At this end the lagoon is most apparent. There is a small channel on 
the eastern side, through which the water probably flows when it is 
unusually high, and fills the lagoon, from which it is gradually evapo- 
rated. On the west side of this island we found a quantity of drift- 
wood, lying just on the edge of the bank of coral slabs. Some of the 
trunks were very large, being fifty or sixty feet in length, and from 
two to three feet in diameter. This occurrence of drift-wood would 
lead to the conclusion, that during the westerly monsoons in these 
seas, the winds and currents under the equator extend thus far from 
the more western islands. The locality in which these large trees 
are found, would show that there is at times a very great rise of the 
waters, which must submerge the islands altogether. There were 
likewise rats here, and, as if subverting the order of things, we found 
their nests built on tussucks of grass, about eighteen inches or two feet 
high, while those of the birds occupied the ground. 
At about four o’clock we were all on board, and stood for Birnie’s 
Island, in hopes of seeing it before night, which we did not succeed in 
doing, and I was compelled to lay-to, owing to the dangers that were 
reported to exist. By morning I found the ship had drifted so far to 
leeward that it was impossible to reach the island without spending 
much time in beating up. 
The wind now hauled so as to give us the hope that we might reach 
Sydney Island; but owing to its baffling us, and to the current, we fell 
to leeward a second time. I then stood on to the southward, for a 
supposed reef in latitude 5° S., but none was discovered. 
Feeling that it was necessary for us to be making our way to the 
Sandwich Islands, on account of the shortness of our provisions, I 
tacked to the northward, after having spent thirteen days in this 
vicinity. 
