In the neighbourhood of these reefs, Lieutenant
John Lamb, R.N., Commander of the ship Baring, was embarrassed for three
days, in which interval he was sounding in between nineteen and
forty-five fathoms, and frequently passed shoal parts, upon which the sea
was breaking. The limits assigned by this officer to the extent of the
rocky ground, are the parallels of 20 degrees 40 minutes, and 21 degrees
50 minutes, and the meridians of 158 degrees 15 minutes and 159 degrees
30 minutes. A sandy islet was also seen by him, surrounded by a chain of
rocks in 21 degrees 24 1/2 minutes South, and 158 degrees 30 minutes
East. The ship Minerva also struck soundings in eight fathoms, with the
appearance of shoaler water to the South-West; this last danger is in a
line between the two shoals in about longitude 159 degrees 20 minutes.
(See Horsburgh Supp. page 35.)

BAMPTON'S SHOAL is laid down in the shape of a horse-shoe, of not less
than forty-five miles in extent; on the north-east end are two islets
with trees. The AVON ISLES are probably near its south-west extremity:
they were seen by Mr. Sumner, Master of the ship Avon, September 18,
1823; and are described by him as being three-quarters of a mile in
circumference, twenty feet high, and the sea between them twenty fathoms
deep. At four miles North East by North from them the vessel sounded in
twelve fathoms, and at the same time saw a reef ten or fifteen miles to
the South-East, with deep water between it and the islets. A boat landed
on the south-westernmost islet, and found it inhabited only by birds, but
clothed with shrubs and wild grapes. By observation, these islands were
found to lie in latitude 19 degrees 40 minutes, and longitude 158 degrees
6 minutes.

A reef is laid down in M. Krusenstern's Atlas of the Pacific Ocean (1824)
in latitude 17 degrees, and longitude 156 degrees, and is there called
MELLISH REEF.

A REEF was seen by the ship FREDERICK, the north-east extremity of which
is laid down in latitude 20 degrees 44 minutes, and longitude 150 degrees
32 minutes; it is of semi-circular shape, and extends as far south as 21
degrees 2 minutes, and appears to be nearly twenty miles wide.

VINE'S HORSE-SHOE SHOAL; its northernmost end is in latitude 20 degrees 5
minutes, and longitude 151 degrees 50 minutes: it presents its convex, or
outer edge, to the Southward, and extends as far as fifteen miles to the
South and East.

DIANA'S BANK is placed in latitude 15 de