43 
Wetmore—Journal 43 
« 
its long axis running slightly south of west and north of east. It is roughly 
% 
rectangular with one or two small indentations cut in the shore line. The Greater 
♦ 
part of the island lies from 10 to 15 feet above sea level with a conical 
elevation at the eastern end 40 feet hifeh below which the slope drops steeply 
to the eastern beach. The beach is made of fine coral sand and the soil of the 
island is of the same material with comparatively little humus. A heavy 
growth of tussock grass covers the entire island with considerable amounts of 
Tribulus cestoides scattered through it and occasional plants of Boerhaavia 
4 
bordering the beaches. 
The island is built on a low platform of a fine grained rock (apparently a 
sandstone elevated at its high point about sevel feet above sea level). This 
rock, gray in color, is exposed in worn ledges in the east and north and elsewhere 
\ 
appears as level shelves from which project low pyramidal points or 
curiously eroded columns. It is firm and hard in texture. The ship can anchor 
ft 
safely 750 yards from the outer coral heads to the south of the island, inshore 
from this are broken coral heads and finally a flat reef that is exposed at 
low tide. Small launches may run in to about l/3 of the mile from the beach on 
the south. Boats if two feet draft may pass to the beach at high tide. Inside 
the inner reef is a shallow areas sprinkled with small coral head.s 
There area a few logs of fir cast up on the beach, one with roots attached. 
A crude hut with a cast iron roof has been erected on the shore south _ 
E < 
of of the eastern hill. Lumber and some barrels lie scattered about, said to have 
been brought here by Ai, a Chinaman from Honolulu who intended to establish a 
fishing station here. His crew revolted, however, after landing the supplies 
and the project was abandoned. 
In a slight hollow below the western dide of the hill I found remains of 
a much older hut erected by a white man who lived here at one time. On the summit 
of the hill is a headboard that may mark a grave. 
•W 
TTT 
