298 



HYDROGRAPHY. 



by its peculiar oblong form. It is one of the craters that are so often 

 met with in the volcanic islands of the Pacific. The apex of Dia- 

 mond Hill lies in longitude 157° 49' west, and latitude 21° 15' north. 

 Diamond Point is low, and bounded by coral reefs of from \ to \\ 

 miles in width, along which there are soundings and safe anchorage 

 at the eastern part ; from it the coast makes a sweep to the westward 

 to Laeloa Point, a distance of 18 miles. Waiakea is at the foot of 

 Diamond Hill, and was the place of anchorage when the island was 

 first visited ; but since the port of Honolulu has become known, few 

 vessels have dropped anchor there. 



The port of Honolulu is situated 6 miles to the northward and 

 westward of Diamond Hill. The outer anchorage is safe in all 

 months except those of January and February, during which south- 

 west gales may occur ; they always give ample warning of their 

 approach, by the heavy swell setting in from that quarter, and suffi- 

 cient time is afforded to leave the anchorage. The situation of this 

 port may be readily recognized by the Punch Bowl Hill, a remarkable 

 crater peak, which lies directly in the rear of the town ; the best berth 

 for anchoring in is to the eastward of the entrance to the harbor, 

 with the Flagstaff on Punch Bowl bearing north 30° east ; Diamond 

 Hill, south 75° east ; Bethel Church, north ; Point Laeloa, north 85° 

 west. 



The harbor, as I before remarked, is formed by the coral reef. It 

 is divided into an outer and inner one, neither of which is large, 

 but for a small number of vessels it is sufficiently commodious. The 

 bar is just within the outer line of the reef. To enter, the following 

 directions should be followed. Vessels must anchor in the outer roads, 

 if they reach the port after the morning has advanced. Before day- 

 light, hawsers for warping should be prepared, and an anchor ready to 

 drop under foot, and at early dawn to be under way. The breeze is 

 usually light, but being to windward of the entrance, all sail is to be 

 made, and everything prepared to shorten sail as quickly as possible. 

 Stand down for the buoy, which is on the starboard hand, at the end 

 of the coral reef to the eastward of the channel, in 10 feet water ; run 

 quite near to it, luffing up close to preserve full headway as long as 

 possible, for the wind will be found too scant when in the channel for 

 the sails to draw ; they ought then to be at once clewed up, to avoid 

 stopping the headway. The pilot has boats prepared to take out the 

 hawsers, with many natives on the reef, to warp the vessel the mo- 



