The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-10-25
Highly Interesting from the Japan Expo
dltiOM.

Highly Interesting from the Japan expo
dition.
DESCRIPTION OF THE BONN IsLANDs-ANIMAL, vEdE
TABLE AND MINERAL PRODUCTIONS, ETC.
The suboned interesting information is extracted from
despatch received at the Navy Department from Conn.,
NJ c. Perry commanding United States East India squad
NArA ISLAND OF Loo CBoo June rs, 1858.
cannot in the space of letter, give full description
OF the islands, and therefore beg to refer the
companying extracts from my rough Journal.
Extracts from the Rough Journal Of Commodore PtTy
The Bonn islands extend in direction nearly north and
south between attitudes Of 70 dec 80 min and 27 deg
IS min norththe centre line of the group being in lon
gitude about AZ deg Is min. east
Tie principal islands, and indeed all OF them, have
been named by Captain Beechsy, of her Majesty ship
The northern cluster he called Parrys Group to the
middle cluster consisting ofthree larger Islands, he gave
the names respectively OF Peel baGk as and
Islands.o
TO the principal port the island he gave the of
s'Lloyd.o
The islands are evidently volcanic, the Internal fires
being still at work. as Mr. Savory, the Oldest surviving
settler the island informed that they experienced
two or three tremblings of the earth every year
The islands headland and detached rocks present the
most grotesque FORMS exhibiting the appearances Of
ties towers, animals and almost every hdeous thing
conceivable to the imagination.
These geological formations must be of great antiquity
poticed numerous canal like passages in the ellis,
might suppose hewn out by the work Of the csel
bot they evidently been dykes produced by the
flowing and cooling the lava and then smoothed BY the
abrasion or attr.on Of the rents which are precpi
aed in the rainy season down the sides Of the mountains
tow ards the sea.
These dykes in many parts of the island whore the &C.
ton Of the water courses assisted the atmosphere has
not produced any teral change still r. tain their pecu
liar sepke formation and the observer might imagine
that he gazing series Of steps cut by the hand
Of in the s.ho rock to facilitate his descent and
cent to and from the SUBMITS Of the mountains
Indeed, know of part OF the world which can offer
greater interest TO til researches OF the geoogst than
these islands present They are, Of course of rappean
formation naturally connected with their1vocanic ORR
GIN but not sufficiently acquainted with maeraogy
distinguish the several varieties OF which the masses
posed though specimens have been procured for
the examination of the scientific.
Port Lloyd is situated the western side and nearly
in the centre of Peel Island. 1t is easy of ingress and
sgrssf, and may be considered ssis sAa
Ing in from is to y fathoms.
The port is laid down Beechey's chart to be in at
tude - deg min 50 north and lac deg IL min 80
east longitude. Thi position is conceive erroneous
two of observations made by the of the
usquehanna the longitude found to be AZ deg 16
min. 80 sec. east. i've miles more to the east than
Ieechye makes ii.
II safest anchorage to be found high up the har-
Dor ship can conveniently co. having regard to depth
an for swinging and veering cable Strangers
easily discover by examination the proper position TO
which they warp their ships.
Beecheys directions for entering the port sufii-
GENTLY Castle Island which he speaks Of is
easily distinguished, and furnishes good mark; the
starboard shore southern head should be kept aboard
clearing II one or two cables to avoid small rock lying
about $50 200 yards from the bluff and having upon
it only eight feet at low water.
have caused the letter Isl in circle to be painted
upon the bluff Of southern head mark the bearing Of
the rock due north from said mark Isl
Wood and water can be obtained in abundance though
tire former must be cut by the crew. and of course,
taken board green The water is obtained from
ming streams and is of good quality.
The few settlers still remaining on Peel Is,and-the
other islands being unnhabtedraisc considerable guam
titles of sweet potatoes, Indian onions, taro and
few fruits, the most abundant Of which watermelons
also raised For these they find ready sale to tho
whale ships constantly tGush,pg st. TT the port for waite.
anchor at Port Lloyd, three whalemen-two American
and one cncated by of their boats
with the settlement and carried away many supplies,
procured generally in exchange for articles of which
ardent spirits the most acceptable to many of the
settlers.
Were II not for Il scarcity of working hands, much
greater extent Of land would be culsa.ed At present
cannot be than $50 cultivation in
the whole island, and this in deta shed spots generally at
the seward termination 81 ravines furnishing fresh
ter or upon platears of land near the harbor.
The soil is Cd excellent quality for cultivation, very
much resembling that of MADEIRA and the Canary islands
(he latter being in the parallel Of latitude and
consequently admirably ada pied for the cultivation of
the yne and OF wheat tobacco, sugarcane, and many
other valuable plants Of and tobacco the tiers
already cultivate enough for their consumption
Timber for building purposes is rnther scarce, and
would be exhausted if any increase of population
were TO call for the erection of buildings The best
kinds are the and the wild mulberry The former
i similar to the redwood OF Brazil and Mexico and very
enduring.
caused the island 70 b thoroughly explored by two
parties of officers and their reports win be duly fled with
other similar papers, The masters Of this ship and the
Saratoga also surveyed the harbor.
every singular not than five six varieties
Of land birds have been seem Of these the crow
and the pigeon are the largest the Others of small
size OF guile and other birds very fey-the
BOBBY being the most numerous noticed before reach
ing the ISLANDS few retres these of unusually
large sizo and OF singuliry brilliant image
OF quadrupeds We may enumerate hogs, goats, deer
buocks and sheep, with any number of and dogs
Many OF the cats and hogs having rayed to the Jungle
honored with the sppsation OF wild cab and wild
bears and hunted accordingly with dogs few deer
and goats we're some years ago placed upon North
SsI Teton Island by the settlers and the goats have mu
tipled prodgiousy.
The bulls and sheep and few goats were Ian led
from the susqushanna in view Of their increasetwo bulls
and two COWS beng put on shore at Sand Bay, the
north side Of Peel leland and two and Eve Shanghai
broad tailed sheep with six goats, on North Island
On I" auckland" Island there Are a good number OF
hogs and the settlers have recently stocked two others
the smslle islands with goats that in the Of
time they viii increase 20 many Thousands.
The harbor Of Port Lloyd snd the neghbo'ipg waters
bound with excellent dsh, which may be taken By the
hook sene though the places for hauling the seine
few, os8g ~ the coral which In many parts lines the
shores.
The best place for hauling the seine in Port Lloyd Is
upon s,pdy beach in Ter faith hole where there Is
small clear spot The varieties of fish not very
ruus q those taken Ia the seine Of the SnsquehaDna
noticed but bve-the muilet (the most numerous) two
VareheA OF perch, the gar, and the common ray.
shsika are very and when quite small they
'e9uent the shallow places amongst the coral rocks
m shne sLd are there parsoed BY the logs, seized upon
Of edible shelash there are mono that could learn
escrpt,ug inc shsms gisss, (trdacne) which must be
teslacea there arc many, but Of any rarity Ths
temu Of crc.sera is however extensive; but the
Kinds chiefly confined to land crab which are of
every variety Of eze form and color most nsmerous
bind Is what IL generally called the pirate. These are
seeain every direction the shore travelling about
with their ridiculous domioils upon their backs which
they to bavs selected by chance than choice
The waters OF the Bonin furnish abundance Of
cawath, also green turtle, Of which we obtained
good pply.
According to Kemper, there islands known TO the
japanese early 1875 and they described them under
the name OF Bune Sina, and Astounding with sh and
crabs. Of shich from four TO SIX feet long
From this description Of the crabs, led 10 believe
that they mtook the enormous green turtle which are