NARRATIVE OF THE CRUISE. 
759 
100 fathoms from the surface. The characteristic forms were Badiolaria belonging to 
the legion Pli mod aria (see p. 217). It is impossible to say whether or not these organisms 
exist all the way from a depth of 100 fathoms to the bottom, but the experiments proved 
the existence of an intermediate fauna of considerable variety existing between J 00 
fathoms and the bottom. 
The Sandwich Islands. 
On the 27th July at daylight the island of Molokai was observed ahead, and Oahu 
on the starboard bow, and a course was shaped for the passage between them. At 8 a.m. 
a sounding was taken in 310 fathoms, with the extremities of Molokai Island S. 63° E. 
and N. 74° E., the island off the right extremity of Oahu N. 56° W., and the left 
extremity of Oahu S. 88° W. ; afterwards serial temperatures and a haul of the trawl 
were obtained, but the latter operation was difficult on account of the rocky nature of 
the bottom. At 11 a.m. the ship bore up for Honolulu and was anchored outside the 
harbour at 2 p.m. At 4 p.m. a pilot was received on board, and the vessel proceeded into 
the harbour, and was moored head and stern at 5 p.m. 
Honolulu ( Honoruru ). — The islands of Oahu and Molokai are most remarkable for 
the extremely barren aspect which they present as viewed from the sea on their leeward 
sides. In this respect they differ from all other Pacific Islands which were visited during 
the voyage of the Challenger; trees or shrubs do not form a conspicuous feature in the 
view, but the hillslopes are covered with a scanty clothing of grass and low herbage, which 
in the summer season is yellow and parched. Only one scanty grove of cocoanut trees is 
to be seen on the shore of Oahu Island, to the east of the town of Honolulu, whilst west- 
wards the barren plains and distant bare hills almost equalled St. Vincent, Cape Verde 
Islands, in their sterility. There are no thick belts of cocoanut trees fringing the shores 
as at Tonga, with littoral vegetation overhanging the very surf ; no dense forests clothing 
the mountains from the summits to the shore as at Fiji or the Admiralty Islands. There 
is little more show of vegetation in the general appearance of the islands, as seen from 
seawards, than is to be seen on the bleak Marion Island in the Southern Ocean. 
The harbour of Honolulu is entered by a narrow channel through a fringing reef 
which is not very extensive. The town lies on an almost flat expanse immediately 
adjoining the shore, and is not very conspicuous at a distance. It is composed of streets 
of very various widths, laid out at right angles to one another, lined on either side by 
very irregular rows of houses of all kinds, mostly wooden shanties, the greater part of 
them occupied as general stores. 
There is a large shop of Chinese and Japanese curiosities, and two photographers’ shops, 
where corals, imported mostly from the Marquesas Islands, especially large specimens 
(NARR. CHALL. EXP. — VOL, I, 1885.) 9G 
