326 



DISTRIBUTION OF PLANTS. 



d. The Feejee Islands. 



Having gained the open sea, the Vincennes sailed Northwest; and 

 at sunset on the 5th, arrived in sight of Turtle Island ; high and 

 rocky, ljut of small size, and unimportant, except as a guide to the 

 navigator. 



Lying-by under a fresh breeze, the ship drifted " about thirty miles" 

 during the night; so that on the morning of the 6th, we were fairly 

 among the scattered outermost islands of the Feejeean Group. Those 

 in sight were widely apart, small, of moderate elevation, and undulat- 

 ing in outline. One of them, a little larger than the others, was 

 called Oolong by our pilot; who stated, that it was "destitute of 

 yams, though permanently inhabited," and that "canoes were built 

 there of a kind of wood resembling teak." 



Changing our course and proceeding Southwest, the Vincennes 

 towards sunset pnssed Ongea ; an island of the same general character 

 with those last-mentioned, but more elevated. A little beyond, we 

 passed another island, bearing the same general resemblance in out- 

 line. The wind had by this time increased almost to a gale, with 

 thick weather; but there being some clear space ahead, we continued 

 sailing, until about 3 A. m. 



On the 7th, the Vincennes reached the island of Ovolau ; but too 

 late, with the adverse wind, to attempt the passage through the coral- 

 reef. Though somewhat larger than the islands as yet seen in the 

 group, Ovolau is of limited extent; and derives its importance chiefly 

 from its central and intervening position, as a rendezvous for traders. 

 The land presented much of the aspect of Taheiti; being "2070 feet" 

 in extreme elevation, broken and mountainous, variously tinted by 

 exposed precipitous rocks, luxuriant forest, and pale-green ridges bare 

 of trees, like a glowing beautiful picture. 



On the 8th, the Vincennes was towed through the opening in the 

 coral-reef, to the anchorage before the village of Levuka. — On the 9th, 

 I accompanied Captain Wilkes and others to the nearest mountain- 

 summit, to obtain a general view of the whole Group. The weather 

 being clear, the two main islands were in plain sight ; one to the 

 right, and the other to the left ; each containing several thousand 

 square miles of land, and full of mountains; some of those far inland 

 seeming as much as four thousand feet in elevation. The lesser 



