44 
VOYAGE TO THE 
CHAP, stood on until sunset, and shortened sail within three or four miles to 
windward of it. 
Nov. Ducie’s Island is of coral formation, of an oval form, with a laeoon or 
1 825 ' ^ 
lake, in the centre, which is partly enclosed by trees, and partly by low 
coral flats scarcely above the water’s edge. The height of the soil upon 
the island is about twelve feet, above which the trees rise fourteen more, 
making its greatest elevation about twenty-six feet from the level of the 
sea. The lagoon appears to be deep, and has an entrance into it for a 
boat, when the water is sufficiently smooth to admit of passing over 
the bar. It is situated at the south-east extremity, to the right of two 
eminences that have the appearance of sand-hills. The island lies in a 
north-east and south-west direction, — is one mile and three quarters 
long, and one mile wide. No living things, birds excepted, were seen 
upon the island ; but its environs appeared to abound in fish, and 
sharks were very numerous. The water was so clear over the coral, 
that the bottom was distinctly seen when no soundings could be had 
with thirty fathoms of line ; in twenty-four fathoms, the shape of the 
rocks at the bottom was clearly distinguished. The corallines were of 
various colours, principally white, sulphur, and lilac, and formed into 
all manner of shapes, giving a lively and variegated appearance to the 
bottom ; but they soon lost their colour after being detached. 
By the soundings round this little island it appeared, for a cer- 
tain distance, to take the shape of a truncated cone having its base 
downwards. The north-eastern and south-western extremities are 
furnished with points which project under water with less inclination 
than the sides of the island, and break the sea before it can reach the 
barrier to the little lagoon formed within. It is singular that these 
buttresses are opposed to the only two quarters whence their structure 
has to apprehend danger ; that on the north-east, from the constant 
action of the trade-wind, and that on the other extremity, from the 
long rolling swell from the south-west, so prevalent in these latitudes ; 
and it is worthy of observation, that this barrier, which has the most 
powerful enemy to oppose, is carried out much farther, and with less 
abruptness, than the other. 
The sand-mounds raised upon the barrier are confined to the 
