The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1868-07-18

GIVE CREDIT TO WHOM IT BELoNGs-Capt. Dan
icl Smith has called our attention to the follow
ing article, taken from the Worth CkinG .Ners. pub
Eshed at Shanghai, and extensively copied into other
papers, reporting the discovery Of a group of Islands
of which but little appears to be known The Islands
were first discovered in 1864, by Capt. Sam1 James,
of the brig Morning Star. Has report, as published
in our paper. locates one of the atclls in north lati-
tude &c 81, and east longitude loo So. He also
reported that it had the form of an irregular paral-
telegram, extending east by south and west by north
twelve miles, by five in width, and that there are in
the atoll ten small Islands, the largest one on the
east side Two passages lead into the lagoon on the
I south shore, the best of which is about FIVE miles from
the east coast. IL is the same group as was seen by
the DuaGonald three years later, as described below
If not heretofore banned they should be called James
Islands, in honor of their discoverer:
The DuRdonald left Sydney on the 18th of Sep
tember, and on the Sd of October made Norfolk Isl
and, bearing E. by s. 10 miles From this date TO
the Sth instant had light n. n. f. wind, which drove
the ship very far to the eastward. At g A. NJ. 18th,
made the island Onalau Zone of the Caroline ISL
andsl. At 8 p. NJ. took our departure from the Isl
and. distance 10 miles, and proceeded on our voyage
to the N. w. with a fresh breeze from n. E. About
10 a. NJ. on the 10Th, when walking On the quarter
deck, was very much surprised TO see land dipping
on the horizon. At first / could not believe that it
was land, as L knew if my reckoning was right that
there was no land known TO Europeans nearer than
forty miles but in half an hour the trees were dis
tinctly visible. l therefore kept the ship direct for
il, determined TO satisfy myself as TO Its position, etc.
At IL A. NJ. four more islands appeared in sight, all
covered with trees, and at noon L got a good obserya-
ton and found my reckoning quite correct, so that
these islands had not been discovered before At /
p NJ, we came up to them, and the ship was then
rounded to with the southermost islands bearing
north northwest, distance two miles. \ boat was
lowered and / proceeded toward the island ACCOMPANY
led by n Mr.. M'Kay, passenger. After getting with
in a hundred yards of the shore our progress was
suddenly stopped by an extensive reef. Up to this
time we had seen no signs Of life on the island. We
then rowed around along the shore for about five
miles, until We came TO n break in the reef, and i'm
mediately pulled for it. but on getting closer to it
found there was no possibility of crossing, owing to
the water being too shallow. We then discovered
that the reef was a bed Of red coral, completely sur
rounding the island, inside of which the water was
apparently about six feet deep, and as smooth as a
mirror. We then pulled for the next island, which
was connected with the first by a coral reef, but the
waite: did not break on it and when about a mile
from the second island, saw the masts of two canoes
lying inside the island. Feeling quite satisfied that
if those canoes could get in we also could do so, we
pulled along the island for about two miles, and then
found an opening in the reef through which We pass
ed, and found ourselves in the centre of a beautiful
lagoon with about IA feet of water, and the bottom
perfectly clear, consisting of corals and other calcare-
Gus productions. We then went alongside of the
canoes, but finding no natives in them, being imme-
diately followed by the crew and MIR. M'Kay. As
soon as the boat was made fast, fired a few shots in
the air, having taken the precaution to arm ourselves
before leaving the ship, and proceeded to a large
opening in the trees, keeping a. sharp lookout for
any one that might be concealed in the bush. After
walking about fifty yards inland, we came to a beau
tiful clear space of about 800 yards long, so, or 100
broad, of which we took a good survey before pro-
ceeding further not thinking it judicious to 60 into
the bush, as there was quite space enough for q large
number of natives to be concealed in it, Cocoa-nut
trees were in abundance, with plenty of nuts in i'm
mense clusters, and the ground was strewed with
those that had dropped down from the trees. There
were a great more trees of different kinds, but we
could not find any other fruit, though we found a
large basket full of potatoes just dug, so that it would
seem the natives have been disturbed by our firing
when coming on shore. The basket was made out of
the cocoanut leaf, and the potatoes were similar to
ours, only very bitter in taste and very much like
quinine After spending about two hours looking
over the island, we returned TO the boat loading her
with cocoanuts, and regretting very much that time
would sot allow us to take n further survey. Before
getting into the boat the health of the Queen and
Royal Family was drunk with all honors, and at the
request of the crew and Mr.. M'Kay, the islands
were christened Kewley's Group, and the one 1 land
ed on Kewley's Island, as L was the first to land, and
feel certain that 1 was the 6rst white man that over
set his foot on it. We took each n little part of what
ever we could get out of the canoes, to keep in re-
mernbrance of our visit, and the peculiar fgurehead
of the largest canoe is now on board of my ship.
The position of the islands is-soutbermost islands,
lat. 9 deg. Al min. N, long. 161 deg. 10 min. 40 sec.
l.. The group extends in an T. by s., and w. by N.
direction for about thirty miles, but cannot say what
their extent is north and south, as 1 had no time to
explore them properly. The latitude and longitude
two day before, and my instruments were quite cor
rect then.