Right in front of us, and with not a cloud to interrupt the view, lay this extinct volcano of an island, densely covered with the most luxuriant verdure. Only at its N.E. corner there sprang suddenly into the air a naked, castellated rock, about 1000 feet high or so, cut off horizontally above, and with perpendicular sides, which we were informed was a small island (Dochokoits), separated by a narrow channel from the main island. Gradually, on either side of the isle, several rocky points became visible, which steadily increased in dimension, and began to stretch towards each other, till they looked like a row of pearls densely sprinkled in the air above the horizon; after which a number of thin, small, white
clouds suddenly rose and disappeared above the dark blue surface of the sea, flickering here and there like flames. This was our first glimpse of the island-reef and the surf-beaten coral, seen under the influence of a mirage, when, as is very frequently the case in tropical climates, the temperature of the surface of the water, and consequently of the immediately adjacent strata of atmosphere, is higher than those next above. Having got within about a couple of miles, the dark points resolved themselves into verdant cocoa-groves, patches of which adorn the outermost reef, while the small clouds now proved to be the tumultuous lash of a tremendous blinding surf, on the reef which separated the rise and fall of the ocean outside from the smooth placid surface of the broad channel, which inside the ring-shaped coral reef forms those singular natural canals, on which the natives in their frail canoes can sail right round the island, sheltered from the violence of the waves, and which, at those places where there is sufficient depth, and a breach in the line of reef admits of ingress from without, affords for even large-sized ships a secure harbour, according to observation in 6° 47′ N., 158° 13′ 3″ E.
We now endeavoured to enter between Nahlap Island on the west, covered with cocoa-palms and bread-fruit, and Sandy Island on the east, surrounded with a belt of raging foam, its coral masses clothed with low scanty brushwood. But almost immediately "Halt" was once more the order. In order to get into the harbour proper, which lay between two majestic banks of coral rising from the level of the sea
like an elegantly hewn dock, we had to pass through a very narrow channel in the reef, barely 50 fathoms wide, which indeed was pretty plainly indicated by the colour of the smooth water, besides being well marked out by regular buoys, but winds in a direction first westerly and then northwards, and accordingly was inaccessible to us with a west wind blowing. There was no alternative but to let the anchor go among the naked coral rocks forming the sub-marine plateau over which we now lay. But anxiety for the safety of the ship did not admit of her being suffered to remain in circumstances so dangerous. While therefore the frigate once more made sail, a survey of the island and harbour was ordered by a boat expedition.
About 9 A.M. the Commodore, accompanied by some of the scientific staff, set off for land in a slim, flat-floored, Venetian gondola, admirably adapted for such purposes. When we had passed the twin Nahlap Islands and Sandy Island, we found ourselves in a channel about 100 fathoms in length by not quite 80 in width, which led directly into the interior of this huge basin constructed exclusively by insects, and surrounded by a triple wall of coral, an unfathomable, mirror-like pool, in which a ship lies calm and motionless as though in a dock. A buoy at the S.W. angle of the channel indicates some sunken rocks. On the further side of the coral reef one perceives the low-lying group of the Ants' Islands, thickly covered with trees. Although our Venetian boat drew hardly any water, we nevertheless found great difficulty in
advancing in proportion as we approached the shore. The fact too that it was ebb-tide served to increase the obstacles that beset our progress. Every moment the gondola touched upon sand-bank or rock. The utmost caution had therefore to be exercised, as we steered for some huts which were visible under the cocoa-palms quite close to the shore. Following the deeper more navigable channels, we reached the mouth of a river running from N.E., the low swampy soil on either side being covered with dense mangrove bushes, but all our efforts to push through the thickets so as to reach the huts proved unavailing, while the whole soil seemed to be beset with the stumps of the mangrove, like so many sharp stakes. After pushing a short distance up this mangrove channel, from which on either side smaller channels diverged, we retraced our steps, as there was no appearance of the scene changing, nor any appearance of human habitation, and endeavoured to reach the land near the huts already mentioned, by some of the deeper channels. Just then a white settler came to our assistance, who, standing on the shore, indicated to us by manual signs the clue out of this labyrinth of coral, and enabled us by a less shallow channel to reach one of the few points at which a landing is practicable. For at almost every point of the shore the mangroves, by the tenacity of their roots, prevent, or at any rate impede, the approach of boats, the natives themselves being confined to the use of those few spots where rivers or other natural channels afford means of access. Close to the shore appeared three wooden
huts thatched with bamboo and palm-leaves. This was a small colony of whites, whom a singular freak of destiny seemed to have cast away upon these islands, where they earned their subsistence as wood-cutters, smiths, fishermen, &c. They call their settlement Réi. The first hut we entered was inhabited by a Scotchman, who called himself "Dr. Cook," and practised as a physician. He had lived 26 years on the island. His dwelling consisted of three large apartments, which up to a certain height were shut off from each other by thin wooden walls, so that the air could circulate freely overhead throughout the entire length of the hut. Everything was neat and orderly: in the first room, which apparently was used as a surgery, stood a number of medicine bottles duly labelled, and crucibles, which at the very first glance revealed the avocation of the possessor. Cook, who seemed far past the half century, with pale, faded, expressionless features, and a long silver-grey beard, clothed in a coarse woollen jacket, and with the huge, broad-brimmed, worn-out straw-hat pulled low upon his wrinkled forehead, had quite caught the listless, motionless deportment of the natives. Nothing roused him, nothing surprised him; it took considerable time to elicit from him any reply to our questions. The other white settlers in the adjoining islands were not much more communicative; all showed in their conduct a certain embarrassment, which left little doubt that theirs had not been an altogether blameless life in former days. Most of them were surrounded by a number of native wives, who had covered their bodies with a
powder of an intense yellow, prepared from the Curcuma longa, and wore merely a piece of calico round the loins, while splendid yellow blossoms set off the raven blackness of their long hair.
We now followed up a narrow footpath, which led to a gently-sloping eminence behind the huts, and soon found ourselves surrounded by bread-fruit trees and banana, while from time to time a black basaltic rock cropped out from among the red, marl-like soil, and beautiful small lizards with sapphire-blue tails that shone with a metallic lustre, shot about with the velocity of an arrow among the stones. The prevailing formation, as in almost all the volcanic islands of the Pacific, is an amorphous basalt-lava, full of olivin and porphyry. On gaining the summit of the hill, we found there a solitary, wretched-looking hut. A dog, a few hens, and a phlegmatic native worn away to a shadow, whom the sudden appearance of a number of European strangers hardly seemed to rouse from his apathy, were the only living creatures visible. On our requesting to be furnished with a light, a wrinkled old hag crept out of the hut, and handed us a piece of lighted wood. The dusky old woman was presented with a cigar, which she forthwith lit, and proceeded to smoke with unmistakeable satisfaction. To our request for fresh cocoa-nuts with which to quench our thirst, the man, without moving from his place, shouted a few words in the direction of the forest, which was speedily replied to, when some young girls came forth giggling and romping, who brought us what we
had asked for, fresh plucked from the slender cocoa-stem, as well as a sugar-cane, and some ginger (Zingiber officinalis); all these refreshments were handed us amid much hilarity by a lot of daughters of Eve, young, not the least shy, but by no means attractive, whom a present of two small mirrors in return sent away in a state of enthusiastic delight. On our return to Dr. Cook's hut on the shore, several natives had approached who bartered mussels and fresh fruit for tobacco, which they preferred to everything, besides a number of young females, who were retailing, from small bags hung round their persons, the different animals they had collected the same morning at ebb-tide among the coral reefs.