The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-10-23


commanding United States Ea. India squadron. dated
Naps, island OF Loo Choo. June 20. 1858.
cannot in The space OF letter give full description
OF the BONN islands, and therefore beg 10 refer 10 The &C
companying extracts from my rough Journal
Eriyae.s from Tie Rough Journal Of Commodore Perry.
The BONN islands extend in direction nearly north
and soub between the atitudes OF 20 deg 80 min and
~ deg As min nohthe centre line OF The group being
in longitude about lac deg 10 min east.
The principal islands, and indeed. all oil them have
been named BY Captain Beechey, OF her Msiestys ship
The northern cluster he called Parrys Group I" to
gave The names respectively OF "Pee "Buckland" and
"stapeon" and the southern cluster be called "Baly's
Islands"
TO The principal port OF the island he gave the name of
/" Lloyd"
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 trembllngs OF the earth every year.
The islands, headands and detached rocks present The
most groesque forms, exhibiting the appearances OF
ties, towers, animals, and almost every hideous ihiag
conceivable TO the imagination
These geological formations must ba OF great antiquity.
noticed numerous canal-like passages in the cliffs
might suppose hewn out by the work OF the chse
but they have evidently been dykes produced by the
flowing and cooling OF the lava, and thea smoolhed by
the abrasion aon OF the torrents which precp-
ated in the rainy season down the sides OF the
These dykes in many parts of the island where the &C
ton Of the assised by the atmosphere has
not produced any material change s retain their pecu
liar stepiike formations and the observer might imagine
that he was gazing upon series OF steps cut by the hand
OF in The solid rock to facilitate his descent and
cent TO and from the SUBMITS oil the mountains.
Indeed. know OF no part Of the world which can OF.
fer greater interest the researches of The geoogs than
these islands present They are, OF course, Of trappean
formation, naturally connected with their volcanic orr
gin but am not sufficiently acquainted with mineraogy
distinguish the varieties Of which the
composed though specimens have been procured for the
examination OF The scientific.
Porl Lloyd is situated the western side, and nearly
in the OF Peel island II is easy OF ingress and
esress, AMI may be considered safe and commodious
habor. though Of deep anchorage, ships usually anchsr
ing in from Is to % fathoms.
The port laid down on Beecheys chart to be in lat
tude 81 deg min SO north, and l42 deg. IL min 80
sec. east longitude. This position is, conceive.
ous as, BY two OF observations ma lie by the
OF The Susquehanna, the longitude found 10 b. l42
deg IS min 80 sec east five miles more to the east than
Beechey makesit.
hsrbor as ship can conveniently co. having regard to
drph and room for swinging and veeting cable Sran
gers easily discover by examination the proper posi-
lion 10 which they can warp their ships
Beecheys directions for entering port sufficiently
Castle island which he speaks Of is easily dis
tnguished and furnishes good mark the staTboard
shore southern head should be kept aboard clearing it
one two cables TO avoid small rock, lying about $50
or 200 yards from the bluff and having upon only feet
at low water
have caused The letter (S) 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
the former must be cut by the crew. and OF course
on board green. The wafer is obtained from running
streams, and is OF good quality.
The few settlers still remaining Peel island-ihe
other islands being acknowledgements consde able 0uan
titles Of sweet potatoes Indian corn, onions laro and
a few fruits, the most abundant OF which are wa,et
melons, bananas. and pine apples few pigs and
poultry also raised For these they find ready sale to
The whale ships constantly touching The port for water
and other supplies. During the four days were AT
anchor Port Lloyd. three %halenen, two American
and one Engsh unica'ed by means OF their boats
with the settlement and carried away many supplies pro-
cured generally in exchange tor articles oil which ardent
spirits the most acceptable TO many of the settlers
Were il not Tor the scarcity OF working hands much
there cannot be than $50 under cultivation in
the whole island and this in detached spots generally at
ne seaws,a ., Iav.aes ,e esa wa
The soil is of excellent duality for cultivation, very
much resembling that oil Madeira and the Canary Islands,
he latter being in the same parallel OF satitade and
conseq uenly admirably adapted for The cultivation Of
the vine, and OF wheat tobacco, sugarcane, and many
other valuable plants OF sugar and tobacco the settlers
already cultivate enough for their own consumption
Timber Tor building purposes is rather scarce, and
would soon be exhausted ii any increase Of population
were 10 call Tor the erection OF many buIdnEa The best
kinds are The lamana and The wild mulberry: The former
similar to the red wood OF Brazil and Mexico and 10
very enduring
caused the island to be thoroughly explored by two
parties OF oces and their reports will be duly filed with
"Saratoxa" also surveyed The harbor
The scarcity Of and lard birds has been noticed
by every one as singular not more than i've or six
retes OF land birds have been Of these the CON-
mon crow and the pigeon the largest the others
OF small sire. or gus and other birds we very
ew-the BOBBY being the most numerous. | noticed
before reaching the Islands lew petfes these OF
unusually large size, and OF sngulary brilliant plu.
mage n
on quadrnpeds may enumerate hogs, goats, deer
locks. and sheep, with any number OF and dogs
Many OF the and hogs having srayed TO the Jungle,
are honored with the appela,on OF wild Gals and wild
boars and hunted accordingly with dog. few
deer and goats come years ago placed upon Nsrh
or Staplelon Island by the settlers, and the goats have
multiplied prodgIous
The bulls cows, and sheep, and few goats. were
landed from the Susquehanna, in view OF their in.
crease-two bulls and Two being put shore at
Sand Bay on the north side OF Peel island, and
and i've Shanghai broad sheep, with six goats, on
North island.
On " Backand" island there are good number OF
hogs, and the settlers have recently stocked two others
OF the smaller islands with goats, that IN the coarse OF
time they will increase TO many thousands
The barbor OF Port Lloyd and The nelghborng waters
abound with excellent fish, which may be taken by the
are few, owing TO the corn which in many parts lines
the shores.
The best place for hauling The seine in Port Lloyd il
upon sandy beach in en-fahom hole, where there -
small clear spot The varieties Of hsh not very nu-
OF those taken the selne OF The Sasquehanna
noticed bu, ive-the mulet, Che most nnmefous,)
40 varieties OF perch. the gar, aud the common ray
Sharks are very numerous, and when quite small they
frequent the shallow places amongst the coral rocks
the shore and there pursued by the dogs seized upon
and dragged ashore.
OF edible shell fish there are none iha, could learn
excepting the cbama gigss. (trdacne) which must be
very tongh and ndig esble o. other varieties OF the
esscea there many, but none OF any rarity The fam