28-1 



HYDROGRAPHY. 



Island which was seen, and an erroneous position to the westward of 

 that island assigned it, as has been the case with Wake's Reef to the 

 eastward. Both of these I have omitted on the chart of the Pacific 

 Ocean, but it may be advisable to give also the supposed position of 

 Halcyon Island, that navigators may, when passing, sail on other 

 parallels in search of it. Its latitude is given as 19° 13' north, and 

 longitude 163° 30' east. 



FOLGER'S ISLAND. 



Folger's Island was searched for by the squadron in the locality as- 

 signed it, viz., latitude 18° 21/ north and longitude 155° 19' east, but 

 no signs of land were discovered, or any indications of its existence. 

 It is impossible to account for the many erroneous positions of islands 

 which are found on the charts, and still remain there after a careful 

 search has disproved their existence. Folger's Island is one of these, 

 which lies in the route of vessels bound to China from the coast of 

 South America, and must, if it had existed, been frequently en- 

 countered by them. Our search extended on the parallel some degrees 

 to the eastward and westward of its assigned position. 



BIGINI ISLAND (PESCADORES). 



Bigini Island was discovered by Wallis, in 17G7. The island is 

 nearly of a triangular shape, of coral formation, and has a lagoon. 

 Its eastern side trends north-northeast and south-southwest, 10 miles; 

 its western nearly north-northwest, 10 miles; and its northern side 

 west-by-north and east-by-south, 8 miles. Its greatest length north and 

 south is 10 miles, and it is also 10 miles east and west. There are 

 three large and seven small islets; the first are situated at or near its 

 angular points. The reef or rim of coral is nearly awash, except 

 near the islets or where a low sandspit rises above, on its western 

 side. This makes it a dangerous island to approach, particularly as 

 its north and south points project ; it cannot be seen over 6 or 7 miles 

 in clear weather. The vegetation on the islets consists of but a few 

 low bushes : there was not a cocoanut or pandanus tree on either of 

 them at the time of our visit. At the northwest side there is a boat- 

 opening into the lagoon, and another about the middle of the north 



