In approaching the nearest island we passed close round the south-east end of a reef, running out about a mile from the south point, and then trending away round in a North-west by North direction, so as to form one side of a lagoon, whilst the island I have mentioned--a long narrow strip trending North-east by North--forms the other.

The weather looking unsettled, the wind being from the south-west, with slight rain squalls, we were glad to find shelter, so near the commencement of our work, in a bight on the east side of the island, three quarters of a mile from the south point, where we anchored in 13 fathoms, scarcely a quarter of a mile from the shore.

A coral patch, of two and a half fathoms, with only two on its northern extreme, confines this anchorage, which affords shelter from South-South-East round by West to North-east by North.

The tide rose here 32 inches.
From the masthead I got a tolerably good view of the island, in some places scarcely a cable wide, and a number of islets scattered to the north-west.

The lagoon at this place was not more than three miles across, though marked twelve in the old charts; and I could trace the long line of white breakers rolling in on the other side in solemn grandeur, contrasting strongly in their foaming turbulence with the placid waters within the protection of the reef and island.