Page:Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London, Volume 1 (2nd edition).djvu/224

196 heights, and either becoming extinct, or having abandoned it; and some circumstances connected with Easter Island occur in favour of the presumption that the same thing may also have taken place there. The most remarkable of these facts is, that the present generation is so nearly allied in language and customs to many islanders in the South Sea, as to leave no doubt of their having migrated from some of them; and yet in none of these places are there images of such extraordinary dimensions, or, indeed, in any way resembling them. The Easter Islanders have, besides, small wooden deities, similar to those worshipped by the inhabitants of the other islands just mentioned.

On the 28th of November the Blossom reached Ducie's Island. Iti sIt is [sic] a coral rock, oval, with a lagoon in the centre, tenanted only by birds: the highest trees do not rise more than twenty-six feet above the level of the sea. It is situated in latitude 24° 40′ S., and longitude 124° 45′. The water was so clear over the coral, that the bottom could be distinctly seen when no soundings could be had with thirty fathoms of line. At seven miles distance, the island ceased to be visible from the deck.

On the 3d of December the ship reached Henderson's or Elizabeth Island, in latitude 24° 21′ and longitude 128° 18′ W. This is of a peculiar formation, very few instances of which are known—viz., dead coral, more or less porous, elevated in a fiat surface, probably by volcanic agency, to the height of eighty feet. It is five miles in length. one in breadth, and thickly covered with shrubs, which make it difficult to climb. It was named Henderson's Island by the commander of the Hercules, of Calcutta, though first visited by the crew of the Essex, an American whaler, two of whom landed on it after the loss of their ship, and were subsequently taken off by an English whaler, who heard of their fate at Valparaiso.

On the 4th of December the expedition arrived at Pitcairn Island. The mutiny on board the Bounty; the terrible fate of the surviving mutineers, who sought refuge on this island, which exhibits traces of former inhabitants, and which presents great variety of soil and aspect, and is, further, abundantly provided with fish, fowl, and vegetables; the reform of Adams and his companion, and the patriarchal colony that rose under their care, are admirably related by Captain Beechey; but are foreign to our present purpose of strict geographical inquiry; and we will therefore content ourselves with stating that the island is about seven miles in circumference, surrounded by cliffs, or rocky projections, off which lie scattered numerous fragments of rock, rising, like so many black pinnacles, amid the surf, which, on all sides, rolls in upon the shore; and that its highest point was found to be 1109 feet above the level of the sea. The population, from the