txviii INTRODUCTION. [Prior Discoveries. 
Bligh and trees and shrubs. Amongst them was a cluster of cocoa-nut trees, 
^im?*' bearing a small, but delicious, fruit ; and the tree bearing a plum, 
such as had been seen at Dalrymple's Island. Besides these, the 
botanists found the peeha and nono of Taheity ; and two new plants, of 
the size of the common mulberry. One, of the class polyadelphia, bears 
a scarlet, bell-shaped flower, large as the China rose; the other was 
a species of erythrina, bearing clusters of butterfly-shaped flowers, of 
a light yellow, tinged with purple : both were entirely destitute of 
leaves, and their woods remarkably brittle. 
There did not appear to be any fixed inhabitants upon Possession 
Island ; but from a fire which had been recently extinguished, and 
the shells and bones of turtle scattered around, it was supposed to 
have been visited not many days before. The bushes were full of 
small, green ants ; which proved exceedingly troublesome to those 
who had sufficient hardihood to penetrate their retreats. Another, 
and larger species of ant, was black ; and made its nest by bending 
and fixing together the leaves, in a round form, so as to be impene- 
trable to the wet. These, and a small kind of lizard, were all the 
animals found upon the island. 
Sept. 17. The boats led to the westward, steering for a passage 
between Mulgrave's and Jervis' Islands ; but seeing it full of rocks 
and shoals, the vessels anchored a little within the entrance, in IO 
fathoms, coarse ground; until the boats should sound a-head. The 
latitude here was io° 2', and longitude 142 0 03'. The flood tide, 
from the E. N. E., was found to set through between the islands, at 
the rate of four miles an hour ; and the breeze being fresh, and 
bottom bad, the situation was considered to be very unsafe. 
Whilst the boats were sounding, several Indians in three canoes, 
were perceived making towards them ; but on a swivel shot 
being fired over their heads, they returned to Mulgrave's Island, on 
the south side of the passage. On the signal being made for good 
anchorage further on, the Assistant led to the W. by S. ; but on 
reaching the boats, the bottom was found much inferior to what had 
