circumference. It is thickly covered with
bushes and trees, among which Mr. Cunningham found a great many plants
that interested him, particularly the bulbous roots of a species of
pancratium, and some large specimens of Mimusops kauki in fruit, besides
which he observed a remarkable tree which he has described in his journal
by the name of Gueltarda octandra. "It is a strong luxuriant tree, having
a stem six feet diameter, whose base is much like the spurred bulb of a
tropical fig." (Cunningham manuscripts.)

The island is situated at the north-west end of the reef which is two
miles and a half long and one mile broad, and composed like that of
Pelican Island, of dead coral hardened by the weather and cemented by its
own calcareous deposit into masses of compact rocks which, being heaped
up by the surf, form a key that probably the high-tide scarcely ever
covers. The interior is occupied by a shoal lagoon in which, although not
more than two feet deep, our people saw a great variety of fish, and
among them a shark five feet long, which, notwithstanding there was
scarcely sufficient water for it to float in, contrived to escape. A few
shells of the Voluta ethiopica and some clams (Chama gigas) were found,
but neither sort was plentiful. The natives, as appeared from their
traces, occasionally visit the island: our people found some deserted
turtles' nests, and Mr. Cunningham saw a pigeon that appeared to be new;
it was of large size and of black and white plumage: besides this no
other bird was seen.

We now began for the first time to feel the effects of our accident at
Port Bowen, for the tide, setting against the wind, caused a short swell,
in which the cutter strained so much that she made two inches and a half
of water per hour.

August 15.

At noon the next day we rounded Cape York; and, as we had last year taken
the route to the northward of Wednesday Island, we now steered round the
south side of Prince of Wales Islands through Endeavour Strait.

August 16.

And passing the night under one of the Possession Islands, Number 2, the
next day reached Booby Island off which we anchored. On our course to the
westward of Cape Cornwall and across the line of shoals that extend from
it to Wallis Isles we had not less water than four fathoms.

In the afternoon we landed on Booby Island and at night procured turtles,
and about a thousand eggs.

On the summit of the island, or rather the rock, several piles of sto