SOUTH PACIFIC ISLANDS. 



247 



in the lagoon. Under the lee of the island a landing can be easily 

 effected, but it would not be advisable, unless the party was large and 

 well armed, to protect themselves. 



JARVIS ISLAND. 



It is not known to whom the discovery of this island is due ; some 

 have thought that it is identical with Brock's Island, but I believe 

 they are different. Jarvis Island was visited and surveyed by the 

 .Peacock and Flying-Fish. It is of triangular form, the sides being 

 from 1 to U miles long. It is a coral sand-bar, quite barren, 

 excepting a few bushes and tufts of grass, and affords nothing ; the 

 surf is usually so high as to prevent landing. Jarvis Island in ordi- 

 nary weather would be seen from the deck of a vessel about 6 miles. 

 The Peacock searched to the westward some 50 miles in the same 

 latitude for another reported island, but saw no appearance of land. 



BELLINGSHAUSEN ISLAND. 



Bellinghausen Island was discovered by Captain Kotzebue in 1824. 

 The island is of triangular shape, with its sides 2i to 3 miles in 

 length. It has a shallow lagoon in its centre without any entrance. 

 Its northwest side is a bare reef, over which the tides flow at high 

 water. The southeast and south parts are well covered with wood. 

 There is no water on the island, nor any cocoanut palms. This island 

 was visited by the Vincennes in 1839. There is no landing, except 

 passing over the coral reef. 



M'KEAN'S ISLAND. 



M'Kean's Island was discovered by the Vincennes in 1840. It is 

 but three-quarters of a mile long, by half a mile wide ; it rises 25 feet 

 above the sea, and is composed of coral blocks and sand, having no 

 vegetation on it but a scanty growth of coarse grass. The surf was 

 found to be too heavy to effect a landing. It is very dangerous, and 

 vessels should be cautious how they run for it in the night, unless 

 they are very sure of the correctness of their latitude and longitude. 

 I am inclined to think that Arthur's Island may be considered iden- 

 tical with this, although 2° to the westward of it. 



