Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1835-01-29
COCO ISL a n ID s.


The Coco Islands are situated IN lat ~ uo
s. long. 81 O4 f.. (anchoragel aid us snlPs
homcward bound are liable to encounter oaa
weather. during the n. w. monsoons, after
| leaving Java Head, and they being nearly on
the direct route, think they may, at some
distant day, be of the utmost Importance 10
all who navigate ships 10 Java and China.
The ship Panther, after leaving Java Heao,
beng quite eaky, and as ! did not think 1t ol
sufficient Importance to put back or 10 go IN
10 the Isle Of France and run to heavy eX-
pensp, bore up for the Cocos, where an
chored on the 27ih June, 1884.
4 The value Of these Islands have hitherto
!, remained unknown: until Captain hoss visited
tbem in the ship called the Bornco, aud dis
covered a GOOD harbor, where he lay several
days. in December 1925, and put his ship IN
a nroner state to encounter the bad weather,
= he had to expect OH his passage to England,
/ she being rather tender, ailef leaving Ia
] dang. IT.. r
This group consists Of circular cham ol
4 Islands and keys, almost touching each othef'
J lined on the outside, by coral rcei, "hith
! sounding from IL to 20 iathoms, close 10
! where IA ship might anchor, IN case oi eiAer-
oency, such as culms, &C., forming ihside an
extensive han bor, having but one entrance, G
the northern extremity, which Is about tNrte
miles wide. Struggling rocks and an eXle"-
, sye reef, project out mile and nall from
the west side Of the entrance, therefore, u
shin poing ia, should keep close to the wealth
cr shore, the wind being steady from the
eastward. This coral chain OF lslandS,which
t forms one of the finest harborS In the wor,o,
= is elevated from five to fifteen feet above The
l surface Of the water; and most oI the'n are
~ ,,,At thrnn Ith kinds
z of trees. the iron wood, the cabbage, and the
. white wood trees. The C-aoanuts IN the
2 middle of the Islands are very fine, but those
: near the water are small, and apt to be salt
= CAPTAIN Ross, who discovered tins harbor
1 has since settled here. with about sixty Ma
C Law followers, among whom there are smith
C and two or three carpenters, and at the tiiile
the Panther was there, had vessel OF cighty
: tones ready for launching, built OF the irol
C and white wood. He has formed his settle
s ,nent on the south side OF the bay, aud cailet
l. the village of New Selma. His own house
e is built Of wood, which he imported at th'
t. time he settled; those Of his followers are
y built of the cocoa tree, making use OF the lea
II for the covering Of the roof and sides.
r 7 spent one day at the village, and found
Is IN a nourishlnr state for new settlement
n fine fields of Indian corn and various olhe
ID vegetables were in thriving CONDITION.
r fowls in abundance, and some pigs were il'i
ming about every house. Captain Ros7 Ia
introduced several kinds Of fruit, which "ef
doing well likewise the bamboo tree, whic
will be very useful in building houses, &c
The only animals Oh the Islands are hog
J. and dogs, but the bay abounds with .ish an
- turtle, which they take in sufficient quaint
:, ties for the consumption of the colony. Mn
n they get from the cocoaEut, and sugar wnic
in answers O very good purpose. Captain Ros
81 cave the harbor the name of Port ALBION
n Ships, after anchoring in the outer halbor, b
rs procuring pilot from the village, can sall II
". the BAY four or five miles, or haul into n
Nv fathom basin under Direction Island, Wine
,o bounds the eastern side, at the entrance
n, the bay. We warped the Panther over b;
ma of four fnthoms into this basin, close to II
oh shore, where the water was perfectly smoo'
-. and sheltered from all winds. From ID
he cember to April, squalls of few hours dur
- ton. are liable to occur from northwest
lv westward, once or twice in the time, SOM
in times not at all. A stranger, IN gong IN
ell the bay may avoid the coral patches, wink
are very numerous all over the bay, by pla
rts ing n trus,y man on the foreyard, and as Il
lie water is perfectly transparent and the be
of tom white sand, he may select good beI
les to anchor.
in