Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-10-29
FROM THE JAPAN SQUADRON.
We find in the Washington Union an interesting
extract from despatch from Commodore PERRY,
dated Napa, Island of Loo-Choo, June %, 1858.

We find in the Washington Union an interesting
extract from despatch from Commodore PERRY
dated Napa, Island of Loo-Choo, June %, 1888.
Extracts from he Rough Jouyaalef Commodore Perry
The BONN Islands extend in a direction nearly north
and south between the ATTITUDES Of rs deg 30 min
q deg 40 min. noIththe centre line Of the group be-
ing in longitude about 142 deg. Is min east
The islands evidently volcanic, the internal fires
being still at work, Mr.. Savory the oldest surviving
settler on the island informed me that they experienced
two or three tremblings of the earth every year
The islands, headands and detached rocks present the
most grotesque FORMS exhibiting the of
ties, towers animals, and almost every hdeous thing
| conceivable to the Imagination.
know Of part of the world which can offer greater
interest to the researches Of the geoogst than these
islands present
Port Lloyd is situated the western side and nearly
in the centre of Peel Island 1t is easy of ngress and
egress, and may be considered safe and commodious
harbor though Of deep anchorage shps usually anchor
ing in from Is to % fathomS.
The safest anchorage is be found as high up the har
Dor as ship can conveniently 90, having regard to
depth and room swinging ndyeerng cable Strangers
easily discover by examination the proper position to
which they can warp their ships.
Wood and water can be obtained in abundance The
water 10 obtained from running streams and is of good
quality
The few settlers still remaining on Peel Islandthe
other islands being uninhabted-rase considerable
quantities Of sweet potatoes, Indian corn onions taro
and Few fruits the most abundant OF which are water
melons, bananas, and pneapples few pigs and some
poultry are also raised For these they find ready sale
10 the whae-shps constantly touching at the port for
water and other supplies During the four days we were
at anchor at Port Lloyd three whalemen two American
and one English communicated by means of boats
with the settlements and carried away many supplies
procured generally in exchange for articles of which
settlers
We're it not for the scarcity of working hands much
greater extent of land would be cultivated AT present
there cannot be than one hundred and fifty
in
ed spots generally at the seaward termination of ravines
furnishing fresh water upon pateaus of land the
harbor
The soil is of excellent quality for cultivation very
much resembling that of Madeira and the Canary Islands,
(the latter being in the parallel Of latitude and
consequently is admirably adapted to the cultivation of
the yne and of wheat tobacco, sugarcane and many
other valuable plants OF sugar and tobacco the settlers
already cultivate enough for their consumption.
Timber for building purposes is rather scarce and
would soon be exhausted if any increase of population
were to call for the erection Of many buildings The best
kinds the tamana and the wild mulberry. The for
mer is similar to the red wood of Brazil and Mexico and
is very enduring.
l caused the island to be thoroughly explored by two
parties of officers and their reports will be duly filed with
other similar papers. The masters of this ship and the
Saratoga also surveyed the harbor.
The scarcity of and land birds has been noticed by
every singular not than five six varieties
Of land birds have been seen.
OF quadrupeds may euumerate hogs, goats, deer,
bullocks and sheep with any number of cats and dogs
The harbor of Port Lloyd and tho neighboring water
abound with excellent fish, which may be taken with the
hook or sene though the places for hauling the seine
are few owing to the coral which in many parts lines the
shores
OF edible shell-fsh there that could learn,
excepting the chama gigas tridacne) which must be
very tough and indigestble
The waters of the Bonh Islands furnish abundance of
craw6sh, also green turtle, Of which we obtained
good supply.
According to Kemper these islands known the ia
panese early 1915 and they described them under the
name OF Bune Sma and Astounding with fish and crabs
some of which from four to six feet long From the
description of the crabs am led to believe that they mis-
took the enormous green turtle, which common
here for crabs Other accounts give much earlier date
for the discovery of these islands by the Japanese.