THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
187 
The foil of this illand, in fome places, is light and black, 
evidently compofed of decayed vegetables, the dung of birds, 
and fand. There are other places again, where nothing 
but marine productions, fuch as broken coral Hones, and 
fhells, are to be feen. Thefe are depofited in long, nar¬ 
row ridges, lying in a parallel dire6tion with the fea-coaft, 
not unlike a ploughed field; and mull have been thrown 
up by the waves, though, at this time, they do not reach 
within a mile of fome of thefe places. This feems to fur- 
nifti* an inconteftable proof, that the illand has been pro¬ 
duced by acceffions from the fea, and is in a ftate of in- 
creafe; for not only the broken pieces of coral, but many 
of the fhells, are too heavy and large to have been brought 
by any birds, from the beach, to the places where they now 
lie. Not a drop of frefti water was any where found, though 
frequently dug for. We met with feveral ponds of fait 
water, which had no vifible communication with the fea, 
and muft, therefore, in all probability, be filled by the water 
filtrating through the fand, in high tides. One of the loft 
men found fome fait on the South Eaffc part of the illand. 
But, though this was an article of which we were in want, 
a man who could lofe himfelf, as he did, and not know 
whether he was travelling Eaft, Weft, North, or South, was 
not to be depended upon as a fit guide to condu£t us to the 
place. 
There were not the fmalleft traces of any human being 
having ever been here before us; and, indeed, fhould any 
one be fo unfortunate as to be accidentally driven upon the 
ifland, or left there, it is hard to fay, that he could be able 
to prolong exiftence. There is, indeed, abundance of birds 
and filh; but no vifible means of allaying third:, nor any 
vegetable that could fupply the place of bread, or correct 
B b 2 the 
1778. 
January. 
V_ 
