92 
VOYAGE TO THE 
usually abundant, nearly dried up, and were therefore obliged 
to put the ship’s company on an allowance. A boat was de¬ 
spatched to Narborough Island to procure land-turtle, and 
others were employed in fishing with great success. Our 
Sandwich Island chiefs landed on our anchoring, and having 
found two huts left by some former visitors, they remained 
in them to enjoy the pleasures of fishing and bathing ac¬ 
cording to the customs of their own country, while we staid 
in the harbour. 
Our party to Narborough Island landed among an in¬ 
numerable host of sea-guanas*, the ugliest living creatures 
w r e ever beheld. They are like the alligator, but with a 
more hideous head, and of a dirty sooty black colour, and 
sat on the black lava rocks like so many imps of darkness. 
As far as the eye could reach we saw nothing but rough 
fields of lava, that seemed to have hardened while the force 
of the wind had been rippling its liquid surface. In some 
places we could fancy the fiery sea had been only gently 
agitated; in others, it seemed as if it had been swept into 
huge waves. Here and there it was rent into deep crevices 
coated with iron rust, and filled up with salt water. Far 
* Amblyrhyncus Cristatus—described by Bell from a specimen brought to 
Europe by Mr. Bullock among his Mexican curiosities. Mr. B. did not state 
the spot where it was found : probably on the Pacific shore. 
