A reef is laid down in M. Krusenstern's Atlas of the Pacific Ocean (1824) in latitude 17 degrees, and longitude 156 degrees, and is there called MELLISH REEF.
A REEF was seen by the ship FREDERICK, the north-east extremity of which is laid down in latitude 20 degrees 44 minutes, and longitude 150 degrees 32 minutes; it is of semi-circular shape, and extends as far south as 21 degrees 2 minutes, and appears to be nearly twenty miles wide.
VINE'S HORSE-SHOE SHOAL; its northernmost end is in latitude 20 degrees 5 minutes, and longitude 151 degrees 50 minutes: it presents its convex, or outer edge, to the Southward, and extends as far as fifteen miles to the South and East.
DIANA'S BANK is placed in latitude 15 degrees 38 minutes, and longitude 150 degrees 28 minutes. (Horsburgh volume 2 page 509.)
BETWEEN the parallels of 16 degrees 50 minutes and 17 degrees 45 minutes, and the meridians of 150 degrees 30 minutes and 152 degrees 30 minutes, there are several very extensive reefs, various parts of which have been seen, according to the following accounts.
Lieutenant Vine saw a DRY BANK in latitude 17 degrees 46 minutes, and longitude 151 degrees 40 minutes. See the account of the shoal described by M. Tregrosse.
Mr. Brodie, Commander of the brig Alert, in October, 1817, saw A REEF extending for a considerable distance in a North-East and South-West direction. The Alert ran along the reef for twenty-five miles: about the centre Mr. Brodie saw two sand islets in latitude 17 degrees 2 minutes, and longitude 151 degrees 49 minutes.
LIHOU'S SHOAL, probably a part of the above reefs seen by Lieutenant Vine and from the Alert, lies in latitude 17 degrees 25 minutes, and longitude 151 degrees 45 minutes: it is forty-six miles in length, and lies North-North-East and South-South-West.
A very extensive RANGE OF SHOALS and ISLETS was seen by M. Tregrosse, of the French brig Les Trois Freres, in company with the brig Jessie, in 1821, according to the subjoined account.
On the 19th June, the two brigs in company fell in with a range of reefs, terminated to the eastward by two sandy islets, the easternmost of which is in 151 degrees 47 minutes (149 degrees 27 minutes East of Paris); the vessels hauled to the wind immediately, but finding they could not pass to windward, bore up, and ran along the shoal from eight a.m. to four p.m., at the distance of a league and a half. Altogether they counted seven islets, three of which were covered with shrubs, and the whole connected by a reef, on the edge of which the sea broke heavily: they were called GOVERNOR FARQUHAR'S GROUP: the westernmost islet is in 17 degrees 39 minutes, and 151 degrees 27 minutes (149 degrees 7 minutes East of Paris) and appeared to terminate the group. As it was near sunset, the vessels hauled to the wind for the night, and at daylight bore up on a north course: soon afterwards they saw an islet West-North-West; they, however, continued to steer North until eight o'clock, and then, having run nine miles, saw another island North-North-East. On attempting to steer between the isles, they were found to be connected, and having sounded in eleven fathoms, the vessels bore up, and steered between the westernmost islet and two extensive reefs, through a passage five or six miles wide, that appeared to be clear.