\ 



250 SEARCH FOR ISLE GRANDE — ST. PAUL'S ROCKS. [1826. 



water, clay bottom. On the following day, after taking on board one 

 hundred and eighty-four geese, which had been shot by the crew, we 

 got under way at 9, P. M., and once more shaped our course for " the 

 land of the free and the home of the brave." 



With a fresh breeze from south-south- west, attended with light snow- 

 squalls, we now shaped our course for the island of La Grande, said 

 to have been seen by La Roche, in the year 1675. La Perouse, by 

 order of the French government, afterward sought for this island with- 

 out success, as did also Vancouver and Colnett, by command of the 

 British government. 



La Roche places- this island in lat. 43° 10' south, long. 31° 15' 

 west, and describes k as having a good harbour on its eastern side ; as 

 being very pleasant, abounding with wood and water, and having an 

 abundance of fish around its shores. He tells us that it is moderately 

 elevated, being about two thousand feet above the level of the sea, and 

 about forty miles in circumference. Although La Roche lay at anchor 

 in the harbour on the east end of the island for six days, he saw no 

 inhabitants. Although doubtful of its existence, I felt sufficiently in- 

 terested in the subject to spend a few days in search of this island. 



March 2\st. — On Tuesday we were in lat. 44° 55' south, long. 35° 

 43' west. We now made a due east course until our longitude was 

 30° 11' west; when we stood to the north, to latitude 44° 2' south; 

 and then to the west, in the last parallel, until our longitude was 

 36° 7' west. This was on Saturday, the 25th. 



March 25th. — We now stood to the north, with a fine breeze from 

 south-south-west, and fair weather, until we were in lat. 43° 10' south, 

 when we again stood to the east, keeping very nearly in the last- 

 mentioned parallel, by the assistance of meridian altitudes of the planets, 

 and double altitudes of the sun. 



March 27th. — We continued making a due east course until Monday, 

 when we were in lat. 43° 7' south, long. 28° 52' west. After running 

 over all this ground, keeping two men at the mast-head all the time, 

 with fine clear weather, and a steady breeze from south-south-east to 

 south-south-west, without meeting with any indications of land, we 

 came to the conclusion that La Roche's island of Grande was either a 

 nonentity, or that it must have sunk since its discovery ; for if it had 

 still been in existence, and within fifty miles of the location assigned 

 to it, we must have seen it. We therefore resolved to waste no more 

 time in the fruitless search ; but bore up and steered to the north, with 

 a strong breeze from south-west, and pleasant weather. 



April 2d. — On Sunday we took the south-east trade- winds, in lat. 

 27° 30' south, long. 28° 40' west, and pursued our course to the north. 



April \2th. — On Wednesday, at 2, A.M., we crossed the equator 

 in longitude 29° 0' west, and at 8, A. M., we passed within about one- 

 fourth of a mile of Penedo de San Pedro, or St. Paul's Rocks ; which 

 are in lat. 0° 55' 30" north, long. 29° 16' west. These islands, as 

 they are sometimes called, are nothing more than a cluster of craggy 

 rocks, about a quarter of a mile from north to south, and nearly the 

 same from east to west. They are five in number, but only two of 

 them are of much magnitude. They are entirely destitute of vegeta- 



