CHAPTER VII. 



UNION GROUP. 



The Union Group comprises Oatafu, Nukunono, and Fakaafo 

 Islands. These are all of coral formation. A long time had elapsed 

 since they had been visited by any vessel. The first two were dis- 

 covered by Byron, who named them Duke of York and Duke of Cla- 

 rence Islands ; the last was discovered by the Peacock, in 1841, and 

 was called Bowditch Island, in honor of our great mathematician. 

 During the rainy season, December, January, February, and March, 

 they are subject to sudden squalls from the west, and very heavy 

 rains. The currents in this part of the ocean are weak and variable : 

 they will generally be found to set to the westward. These islands 

 trend west-northwest and east-southeast from each other. They pro- 

 duce nothing but some tortoise-shell and cocoanuts. The inhabitants 

 were found to be a docile, harmless people, but strongly addicted to 

 theft. 



OATAFU, OR DUKE OF YORK'S ISLAND. 



Oatafu was discovered by Lord Byron, in 1765. It is a low coral 

 lagoon island. Its length, north and south, is 4 miles, and its width 24 

 miles east and west. There are several islets formed on various parts 

 of the reef, which are from 8 to 10 feet above the water, and well 

 covered with trees, some of them of large size ; among them are many 

 cocoanut palms. The vegetation corresponds to that of the large 

 islands of Polynesia. On the reef the sea breaks with great violence, 

 but at high water there is sufficient depth to float a boat over into the 

 lagoon : there are no openings. This island is inhabited, and the 

 natives use double canoes. 



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