42 
SURVEY OF THE INTERTROPICAL 
1 S 2 L plan (with respect to the position of Cassini 
July 17. Island) was in the centre of their reefs. , 
At noon we were in 13° 38' S., when a freshen- 
ing breeze from S.E. enabled us to make pro- 
gress to the southward. At two o’clock some of 
the Montali vet Islands were seen; and before 
three o’clock, an island was seen bearing South, 
which proved, as we stood towards it, to be the 
northernmost of a group lying off the north-west 
end of Bigge’s Island ; they were seen last year 
from Cape Pond, and also from the summit of 
the hills over Careening Bay, 
19 — 21 . At daylight, (1 9th,) having laid to all night, 
this group was about six leagues off, bearing 
from S. 35|° to 49° E., but a continuation of 
calms and light winds detained us in sight of 
them until the 21st. 
This group consists of eight or nine islands^ 
and appears to be those called by the French, 
the Maret Isles ; they are from one quarter to a 
mile and a half in extent, and are rocky and flat- 
topped ; the shores are composed of steep, rocky 
cliffs. They are fronted on the west side by a 
rocky reef extending in a N.N.E. and S.S.W. 
direction. 
During the calm weather, in the vicinity of 
this group, we had seen many fish and sea- 
snakes; one of the latter was shot and pre- 
