June.] ISLAND OF SOCORRO— SANDWICH ISLANDS. 213 



banner, our claim to the country will soon be laughed at by the uncivil- 

 ized vassals of the destroyer of Poland. 



May 22d. — Perceiving very little prospect of taking fur-seals on any 

 part of the coast which the Russians have monopolized, without pur- 

 chasing them of the intruders, we squared away, and ran before the 

 wind to the southward. This was on Saturday, the twenty-second of 

 May. We continued standing to the south-east, with fresh winds from 

 west-north-west to north-north-west, and fair weather, until the thirtieth 

 day of May ; when, at five, A. M., we were close in with the west end 

 of the island of Socorro, the south point of which is in latitude 18° 53' 

 N., long. 110° 9' W. 



May 30^. — This island lies about ninety leagues due south from Cape 

 St. Lucas, the most southern extremity of the peninsula of Old Cali- 

 fornia, and a little more than that distance south-west from Cape Cor- 

 rientes in Mexico. It may be seen at the distance of fourteen leagues ; 

 is of volcanic origin, though tolerably well wooded ; and is found to be 

 a convenient stopping-place for vessels wanting water or fuel. These 

 articles may be procured in a small bay near the middle of the south 

 side of the island, where good anchorage is found, in moderate weather, 

 in from twenty-five to ten fathoms of water, sandy and rocky bottom. 

 The shores all around this island are clear of danger two cables' length 

 from the land, excepting on the north side, where there are small islets 

 lying near the main island : and about one mile to the north of them 

 there is a sunken rock, on which the sea breaks in rough weather. 



At six, A. M., the boats were despatched to examine the island in 

 search of fur-seals ; but returned, after a faithful inspection, without 

 seeing more than twenty animals of that species. They saw about 

 three hundred sea-leopards, and fifteen hundred hair-seals. A variety 

 of sea-birds are found to frequent this island, and a few small land- 

 birds are seen among the shrubbery. 



June 5th. — On Sunday, the fifth of June, we steered for the Sand- 

 wich Islands, with a fresh breeze from north-north-east, and fair 

 weather, which continued, with little interruption, for more than a 

 fortnight. 



June 22d. — On Wednesday, the twenty-second, at four, A. M., we 

 saw the island of Owhyee, bearing west-south-west, distant seven 

 leagues. At eleven, A. M., we came to anchor on the south-west side 

 of Mowee, about half a mile off-shore, in seven fathoms of water, sand 

 and coral bottom. We had not been at anchor more than half an hour, 

 before we had twenty canoes alongside, with hogs, potatoes, pump- 

 kins, watermelons, onions, plantains, bananas, cocoanuts, and fish, 

 for sale. 



The history of this interesting group of islands is so familiar to every 

 one of my readers that all I could say on the subject would necessarily 

 be a mere repetition of what has already been repeated a thousand 

 times. No other section of the globe has been visited so often, or de- 

 scribed so fully, as this cluster of islands-; for they have been touched 

 at by almost every navigator that has crossed the Pacific since their 

 first discovery by Captain Cook. I shall therefore merely describe 

 their location, size, and appearance, and refer the reader for further 



