The modern position of Enderbury Island was established by the Unisted States 
Exploring Expedition known more familiarly as the "Wilkes Expedition 
for its commander Charles Wilkes. The islands was visited by ships 
of this expedtion on two occasions. It was first visited by the Vincennes 
y. _on the morning of August 28, 1840. 
(Wilkes 1840 ( 582 ) who reported this visit described the island and noted the 
presence of rats even at this early date (l) (footnote on following : "There 
were fromebAxgk likewise rats here, and, as if subverting the order of things, 
we found their nests built on tussocks of grass, about eighteen inches or two 
feet high, wk±a±g while those of the birds occupied the ground. ,") The next 
on January 9, l84l 
year, Enderbury was visited by two other ships of the expedtion, the kifcyxKgxggx 
Peacock and Flying Fish. (Bryab 1942) 00 00 
