200 



HYDROGRAPHY. 



point bearing north half west, and the town of Uteroa east-by-north, 

 the small sand-island being distant li miles east-southeast. 



Vessels communicating with Taputeouea should be very much on 

 their guard, as the natives are both numerous and treacherous, and 

 are disposed to take any advantage that may offer to make an attack. 

 This island offers a few supplies : fowls, fish, cocoanuts, and some 

 taro ; except for its anchorage it has nothing to recommend it. The 

 current experienced here was found to be setting north 67° west. 



In landing, care must be taken to choose the time of high water, for 

 there is a long flat reef over which a boat will not float but at that 

 time, and care ought to be taken in case of landing not to wait long 

 enough to allow a boat to ground on this flat, as it might induce the 

 natives to make an attack, and they would easily overpower an ordi- 

 nary boat's crew by their numbers. 



There are 14 towns on the Island of Taputeouea, all of which are 

 under independent chiefs ; and the entire island is supposed to contain 

 12 to 14,000 inhabitants. 



NANOUTI ISLAND. 



Nanouti Island lies 27 miles northwest of Taputeouea ; this has 

 been called Sydenham Island. It is a coral lagoon island, 19 miles 

 in length, northwest and southeast, and 8z miles in width. From its 

 north end two-thirds is of the parallelogram form ; the other part, 

 forming its southeast termination, gradually draws to a point. The 

 northeast side is almost a continuous string of islets, connected by 

 the usual coral reef; while on the north, west, and southwest sides is 

 a washed reef. The land is partially covered with cocoanut, pan- 

 danus, and other trees. Off the southwest and west portions there is 

 a coral bank beyond the reef, about 1 to li miles distant, with 8 

 to 10 fathoms water on it. Soundings were had 4 miles from the 

 northwest end, in 265 fathoms water. No communication was had 

 with the natives of Nanouti ; they are represented to be the same 

 savage people as those of Taputeouea, with whom they are in con- 

 stant intercourse. 



There is no entrance into the lagoon. This island is populous, and 

 has several villages. Sable Island, or the isle said to lie due north of 

 Depeyster, does not exist. Nanouti was circumnavigated by the 



