96 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. IX, April, 1955 
TO: George and Matthew Howland 
New Bedford, 
Mass. 
Dear Friends: 
At thy request I submit herewith a report of my activities while engaged in the 
investigations of thy property known as "Howland Island” in the Pacific Ocean 
[about 1600 miles south of Honolulu]. 
Agreeable to thy arrangements and instructions I joined thy bark "ROUSSEAU” 
at New Bedford on the 10th month [October] 15th day of 1853 . . . 
At 5 bells in the forenoon watch on the 28th, [April, 1854] we raised land which 
proved to be Baker Island and in a short time after had Howland Island in sight . . . 
I spent this day checking up and preparing the supplies and gear that I proposed 
to take ashore with me. At Captain Pope’s suggestion, I had several weeks before 
made arrangements with two members of the crew, Obed Handy, a young man of 
superior intelligence, and Cotton Bole Snow, a colored boy who could cook to some 
extent, whereby they agreed to act as my assistant and servant respectively during 
my sojourn on the Island ... I prepared two large tents and spare canvas and poles 
for extra coverage in case of loss or damage to the tents. As there was no indication 
of sweet drinking water from the discovery report, a sufficient supply in bbls. for 3 
months was prepared . . . Lines and hooks, firearms and powder, medicines, clothing 
and my instruments and specimen viols, etc. were all looked to, so that when on the 
early morning of the 29th, we backed the main yard when within, I should judge, 
two miles of the S. W. aspect of the Island in 60 fathoms of water, it required but a 
short time to embark our party and the gear in two boats and put out for the shore. 
The weather was of variable nature, scorching sun at short intervals between squally 
cloudiness, but no severe rain and but little wind. Captain Pope was in charge of the 
leading boat and a boat steerer the other. The Island appeared to be of coral formation 
and not over 20 feet above sea level at any point ... [I] place the centre of thy property 
known as Howland Island in Lat. 0° 49' 00" North, and Long. 176° 43 r 23" W. The 
extreme length on the centre axis from S. E. to N. W. is 1.4 miles. 0.5 miles is the 
width at the widest point situated in the southerly part and 0.2 miles from the extreme 
South shore line. The coral reefs run completely around the Island without a break 
except for several narrow leads where there is a passage for a light draught boat to 
approach the shore without being too much endangered by the breakers . . . This 
was much smaller than had been anticipated and gave me food for thought as to the 
need of a long stay to complete my investigations. 
As we approached the fringe of reefs the multitude of birds hovering over the Island 
became more and more astounding in its number and whenever a puff of wind came 
off shore the noise and stench were most noticeable. The nearer we approached the 
land the more difficult it appeared to be to find a passage through the coral that 
might afford us a landing place free from the surf ... By this time it had been forcibly 
impressed on me that thy property as a possible place of residence was out of the 
question unless fresh water and soil of some sort capable of producing vegetation 
should be discovered . . . No man would willingly undertake to reside there for long 
except from sheer necessity, as the smell, while probably of no serious moment so 
far as health is concerned, is of so constant and over-powering a pungency that it has 
