24 
SURVEY OF THE INTERTROPIC AL 
Isis, quarter of a mile in diameter ; they are so low 
Feb. 12 . as not to be visible from our deck at a greater 
distance than seven miles. Their summits are 
crowned with a slight shrubby vegetation, the 
bright verdure of which, separated from the dark 
blue colour of the sea by their glittering sandy 
beaches, formed a pleasing contrast to the dull, 
monotonous appearance of the main land. These 
islets are in fact only the dry parts of a shoal, 
on which the sand has accumulated, and formed 
a soil to receive and nourish the seeds of plants, 
which have either been drifted on shore by the 
tide, or been brought by birds from the con- 
tinent. 
At sunset we anchored under the land, but 
soon afterwards the wind blew so fresh, that the 
fluke of our anchor broke, and we were obliged 
to drop another ; which was the last we pos- 
sessed, besides a small stream anchor that was 
too light to use, excepting in a calm. 
13. The next morning being fine, and favourable 
for another search after our lost anchor (the re- 
covery of which from our last night’s misfortune 
had become of very great consequence) we 
bore up along the shore, and soon arrived at the 
spot ; but after some time spent in the search, 
without success, we were at last obliged to 
relinquish the attempt, and gave up all hope of 
