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HYDROGRAPHY. 



NUKUNONO, OR DUKE OF CLARENCE ISLAND. 



Nukunono was also discovered by Byron, in 1765. It is a low coral 

 lagoon island, of a triangular shape, with its apex to the north. It is 

 7i miles long, north and south, and 5 miles wide, east and west. The 

 northwest side is a bare reef, awash, on which the sea breaks heavily ; 

 the other sides have islets upon them. There is no opening into the 

 lagoon. This island is inhabited, and cocoanut palms and other trees 

 are growing upon it. 



FAKAAFO, OR BOWDITCH ISLAND. 



Fakaafo was discovered by the Peacock, Captain Hudson, belonging 

 to the Exploring Expedition, 1841. It is a low coral lagoon island, 

 its shape that of a triangle, with the apex to the south. It is 8 miles 

 long, from north to south, and 4 miles in width. On its southwest 

 and north points the land is considerably elevated, and these are 

 connected by an extensive coral reef, which is awash. On the east 

 side the land is more contiguous, and in places there are extensive 

 groves of cocoanut trees and shrubbery. From appearance, the 

 lagoon is believed to be of little depth. The canoes here were single, 

 with outriggers, resembling those of Samoa. On this island the king 

 or chief of the group resides. These islanders have no knowledge of 

 any other islands but there own three, and showed great astonishment 

 at our visit. Water is very scarce, and the small supply necessary 

 for them is ingeniously obtained from small reservoirs cut in the 

 cocoanut trees, to catch the rain. 



