direction, and, like almost all the coral islands, contains a lagoon, and is steep on all sides.
The island of Clermont-Tonnerre, which was visited on the 18th of January, is ten miles in length, but very narrow, particularly at the extremities. It is of the same formation as Lord Hood's Island, but more elevated, and abounds with cocoa-nut trees. With the exception of a few breaks in the southern shore, by which the sea, when high, at times communicates with the lagoon, it is altogether above water. The lagoon has several small islands in it, and the shores all round are steep and abound with fish. The ship here encountered an unusually formidable waterspout, of which Captain Beechey gives an animated description, accompanied by a sketch of its appearance in three different stages of its progress. Captain Duperrey, in his voyage round the world, in the Coquille, visited this island, and, supposing it to be a new discovery, named it Clermont-Tonnere, after the late French minister of marine. Captain Beechey seems, however, decided in his opinion that it was before discovered by the ship Minerva. The inhabitants are not above 200, and among them there was a great diversity of complexion. They were exceedingly shy, and the surf would not allow the Blossom's boats to land: latitude 18° 33′ 42″ S., and longitude 136° 01′ 32″ W.
Serle Island, the next visited, on January 21, is seven miles and a half in length, in a N.W. direction, and two miles and a quarter in width in its broadest part;—its latitude is 18° 16′ 01″ S., and longitude 137° 00′ 45″ W. It is a low strip of coral formation, and has several clumps of trees, which have been mistaken by some navigators for hillocks. The population altogether cannot exceed 100, and they resemble the inhabitants of Clermont-Tonnerre or Minerva island.
Whitsunday Island, discovered by Captain Wallis in 1767, is situated in latitude 19° 23′ S., and longitude 138° 36′ W., and forty miles to the westward of the place assigned to it by that navigator. A landing was effected here on January 23, and several huts were observed, with well-beaten pathways, and reservoirs for fresh water cut eighteen inches into the coral; but no inhabitants were seen. The island is a mile and a half in length, and not four miles, as stated by Captain Wallis, steep all round, of coral formation, well wooded, and contains a lagoon.
The same evening they bore up for Queen Charlotte's Island, also discovered by Captain Wallis, in latitude 19° 17′ S., and longitude 138° 42′ W. The coral here had so grown up that no lagoon could be perceived in the centre, and not a single specimen was to be seen of the numerous cocoa-nut trees found by Captain Wallis.
Lagoon Island, visited on January 24, in latitude 18° 43′ 19″
