232 porter's journal. 



it. The soil of these islands, although dry and parched up^ 

 seems rich and productive ; and, were it not for the want 

 of streams of fresh water, they might be rendered of great 

 importance to any commercial nation that would establish 

 a colony there. They afford good harbours, are situated 

 in the finest climate under heaven, are in the neighbour- 

 hood of the best fishing-ground for the spermaceti whales, 

 and alford a rich supply of fresh provisions, in the land 

 tortoises and other animals with which they abound. No- 

 thing is wanting but water ; and 1 am still of opinion that 

 may be found. A fine spring w^as discovered in Charles' 

 Island, not far from the sea-coast, in a place by no means 

 promising in its appearance ; and I think, by a strict search, 

 an abundance may be procured. We have seen, from 

 what Patrick effected, that potatoes, pumpkins, &c., may 

 be raised of a superior quality, and with proper industry the 

 state of these islands might be much improved. 



Chatham Island differs little in its appearance from all 

 the rest : the land in the interior is high, thrown up in ir- 

 regular hills by the operations of volcanoes, and the sea- 

 coast bounded by loose flakes of lava. On the north side 

 of the bay is a high bluff, where Colnet states that he 

 found a rill of fresh water. I gave it the most careful exa- 

 mination, and could not find the smallest quantity. The 

 rise and fall of the tide here is about eight feet. 



After scrubbing our ship, we on the 3d of September left 

 Chatham Island, and stood over for Hood's Island, where 

 we anchored on the 7th, in a bay on the north side, form- 

 ed by a srflall island and some islets on the east. Previous 

 to going in with the ship, I sent lieutenant Wilmer with 

 directions to place a buoy in the most suitable anchorage ; 

 and, as the wind was directly out of the bay, beat up for the 

 buoy, making short tacks. We got twenty -five fathoms 

 about two miles from the shore, clean sandy bottom, and 

 anchored in nineteen fathoms, one mile and a half from a 

 white sandy beach in the bottom of the bay, near the mid- 

 dle of which is a remarkable black rock, lying about forty 

 yards from the shore. Between this and the shore is a 

 passage for vessels of a light draft of water. 



This bay I called Rodgers' Bay, and the island forming it 

 Rodgers' Island, in honour of commodore Rodgers. The 

 best anchorage is about the middle of the bay, in twelve fa- 



