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Lisianski Island lies about 905 miles northwest of Hono¬ 
lulu and 115 miles west of Laysan, its nearest neighbor. It 
is a low, flat, sand and coral island, about a mile and a 
quarter long, north and south, and three-quarters of a mile 
wide. A \ -shaped ridge of sand on the north reaches a 
height of 30 to 40 feet. On the south is a narrow crescent 
of sand dune, 20 feet high. Between is a depression, lower 
even than the 10 foot rim of the island, which is thought to 
have once been a lagoon or shallow lake. The island is 
situated on the northern edge of a large reef platform which 
extends several miles to the south. 
Lisianski, not Lisiansky. is the name officially adopted by 
the U. S. Geographic Board, October 1, 1924. Other names 
by which it has been called are: Lassion, Pell, and Sapion; 
and Laskar, Lasan Rys, and Ncavas are probably the same. 
The island was discovered at 10:00 p: m. on October 15, 
1805, when the Russian exploring ship Xeva. commanded bv 
Captain Urey Lisiansky, grounded on one of its reefs on the 
east side. Only by throwing overboard guns and other heavy 
objects was the vessel refloated. Hardly were they again in 
deep water until a sudden squall once more drove them 
onto an even more dangerous reef. By discarding cables, 
anchors, and the rest of their heavy objects, the Xera was 
again floated before the evening of the 17th. The next day. 
fortunately, was calm and all the heavy articles were recover¬ 
ed safely. 
Going ashore on the 18th, Captain Lisiansky found nu¬ 
merous birds, large seals, turtles, and quantities of fish. The 
sandy surface, be noted, was full of holes (shearwater bur¬ 
rows) which were concealed by creeping plants. No fresh 
water was found. A quantity of shells, coral, sponges, and 
other specimens was collected, and huge redwood logs were 
seen on the beach. In his journal Captain Lisiansky says 
that “this island promises nothing to the adventurous voyager 
but certain danger/’ He concludes his account of it by say¬ 
ing: “Io the southeast point of the bank where the vessel 
grounded, I gave the name of Neva; while the island itself, 
in compliance with the unanimous wishes of my ship’s com¬ 
pany, received the appellation of Lisiansky.” 
A dangerous shoal, 7 Untiles S.L. by / 2 S. from the east 
s de of the island w n reported bv Captain Stanikow itch in 
1827. 
Captain John Paty, in the course of an exploring expedi¬ 
tion to islands N.W. of Oahu, on the Hawaiian schooner 
M anuokanai, visited the island on May 11, 1857. He re¬ 
ported the surface covered with coarse grass; and also the 
finding of fresh water by digging five feet at the center of 
the former lagoon basin. Birds, fish, seal, and turtle, he 
said, were abundant, but not so plentiful as at Laysan. He 
gave d? r ect : ons for approaching the island from a point west 
of the south end, steering into a lagoon-like area within the 
reef through a narrow break marked by two large patches of 
breakers, north and south of each other and miles apart. 
Within the reef and in the lee of the island, good anchorage 
w as to be found in 4 to 8 fathoms of water, / 2 to 1 Y> miles 
from the beach. The detached rocks which surround the 
island and are numerous in this lagoon make a careful look¬ 
out necessary. On the island he found some wreckage on 
which the name “Holder Borden” was carved. This vessel 
was w recked in November, 1844, on what was called PelPs 
Island, No island has been found in the position given by 
Captain Pell of the whaling ship Dvleware, so it has been 
concluded that Pell and Lisianski were the same. 
In 1859 I lisianski was visited by Captain N. C. Brooks, 
in the Hawaiian bark Gambia. He furnishes navigators with 
considerable information about the surrounding reefs. A 
bank extends several miles to the south, shoaling from 19 
fathoms to 8 fathoms near the reef. The island should not 
be approached from the south. Brooks states. On the east 
and north sides, the reef is about a mile from the island. 
On the west it extends in a curve to 2 / 2 miles, with a lagoon 
within. I he Conahassett, as well as the 11 older Borden, 
was lost on this reef, according to Brooks. He recommends 
the best approach from the north and west, and gives detailed 
directions. A 2 foot tide w as reported, as well as a strong 
current, the direction depending upon the wind. The low’, 
southern part of the island, he said, was overgrown with j 
shrubs (which probably means Scaevola ). He reported 
finding a notice, dated April 27, 1859, left by the San Diego , 
taking possession of the island for parties in San Francisco. 
Continued on Page Thirty-three 
