PACIFIC AND BEERING’S STRAIT. 
151 
the middle. Besides the clumps of trees at the extremities, which at a CHAP, 
distance have the appearance of banyan trees, there are several clusters 
of palms ; a distinction which I would recommend to the attention of Jan. 
commanders of vessels; as, besides assisting them in identifying the 
islands, it will enable them to estimate their distance from them with 
tolerable precision. 
We left Serle Island on the morning of the 22d, and at sunset hove 
to in the parallel of Whitsunday Island. This Island, discovered by 
Captain WaUis in 1767, is situated forty miles to the westward of the 
place he has assigned to it, and we consequently ran to the westward 
^11 the next day, in expectation of seeing it, but it was not reported from 
the mast-head until late in the evening. In the morning of the 23d the 
boats succeeded in landing, though with some difficulty ; and found 
indubitable proofs of the island having been thickly inhabited ; but no 
natives were seen. Under a large clump of trees we observed several huts, 
eight feet by three, thatched with dried palm leaves, the doors of which 
"^ere so low that it was necessary to crawl upon the ground to enter 
i^he apartments within. Near these dwellings were some sheds and 
Several piles of chewed pandanus nuts. 
The island was traversed in various directions by well trodden 
pathways : not far from the huts were several reservoirs of water cut 
nbout eighteen inches into the coral, and about five feet from the 
general surface of the soil; the water in them was fresh, but from 
Neglect the reservoirs were nearly filled with decayed leaves, and emitted 
^ putrid smell. In another direction we saw several slabs of coral placed 
^I'^ct, to denote burial places ; and near the opening to the lagoon 
there w ere several row's of stakes driven into the ground for the purpose 
Ilf taking fish. But what most attracted our attention was a heap of fish 
^ones, six feet by five, neatly cleaned, and piled up very carefully with 
planks placed upon them to prevent their being scattered by the wind. 
We found the island only a mile and a half in length, instead 
of four miles, as stated by Captain Wallis ; steep all round; of coral 
formation ; w'ell wooded, and containing a lagoon. The general height 
of the soil was six feet above the level of the sea, of wdiich nearly two 
foot were coral rock ; from the trees to the surf there w'as a space of 
