Chapter XI: Section IX

_Route from New Zealand to Otaheite, with an Account of some low Islands, supposed to be the same that were seen by M. de Bougainville._

On the 7th of June, at four in the morning, the wind being more favourable, we unmoored, and at seven weighed and put to sea, with the Adventure in company. We had no sooner got out of the sound, than we found the wind at south, so that we had to ply through the straits. About noon the tide of ebb setting out in our favour, made our boards advantageous; so that, at five o'clock in the evening. Cape Palliser, on the island of Eahei-nomauwe, bore S.S E. 1/2 S., and Cape Koamaroo, or the S.E. point of the sound, N by W. 3/4 W.; presently after it fell calm, and the tide of flood now making against us, carried us at a great rate back to the north. A little before high-water, the calm was succeeded by a breeze from the north, which soon increased to a brisk gale. This, together with the ebb, carried us by eight o'clock the next morning quite through the strait. Cape Palliser at this time bore E.N.E., and at noon N. by W. distant seven leagues.[1]

This day at noon, when we attended the winding-up of the watches, the fusee of Mr Arnold's would not turn round, so that after several unsuccessful trials we were obliged to let it go down.

After getting clear of the straits, I directed my course S.E. by E., having a gentle gale, but variable between the north and west. The late S.E. winds having caused a swell from the same quarter, which did not go down for some days, we had little hopes of meeting with land in that direction. We however continued to steer to the S.E., and on the 11th crossed the meridian of 180°, and got into the west longitude, according to my way of reckoning.

On the 16th, at seven in the morning, the wind having veered round to S.E., we tacked and stretched to N.E., being at this time in the latitude of 47° 7', longitude 173° W. In this situation we had a great swell from N.E.[2]

The wind continued at S.E. and S.S.E., blew fresh at intervals, and was attended with sometimes fair, and at other times rainy weather, till the 20th, on which day, being in the latitude of 44° 30', longitude 165° 45' W., the wind shifted to the west, blew a gentle gale, and was attended with fair weather. With this we steered E. by N., E. by S., and E., till the 23d at noon, when, being in the latitude of 44° 38' S., longitude 161° 27' W., we had a few hours calm. The calm was succeeded by a wind at east, with which we stood to the north. The wind increased and blew in squalls, attended with rain, which at last brought us under our courses; and at two o'clock in the afternoon of the next day, we were obliged to lie-to under the foresail, having a very hard gale from E.N.E., and a great sea from the same direction.[3]

At seven o'clock in the morning of the 25th, the gale being more moderate, we made sail under the courses, and in the afternoon set the top-sails close-reefed. At midnight, the wind having veered more to the north, we tacked and stretched to the S.E., being at this time in the latitude of 42° 53' S., longitude 163° 20' W.

We continued to stretch to the S.E., with a fresh gale and fair weather, till four o'clock in the afternoon of the next day, when we stood again to the N.E., till midnight between the 27th and 28th. Then we had a few hours calm, which was succeeded by faint breezes from the west. At this time we were in the latitude of 42° 32', longitude 161° 15' W. The wind remained not long at west, before it veered back to the E. by the N., and kept between the S.E. and N.E., but never blew strong.

On July 2d, being in the latitude of 53° 3', longitude 156° 17' W., we had again a calm, which brought the wind back to the west; but it was of no longer continuance than before. For the next day it returned to the E. and S.E., blew fresh at times, and by squalls, with rain.

On the 7th, being in the latitude of 41° 22', longitude 156° 12' W., we had two hours calm; in which time Mr Wales went on board the Adventure to compare the watches, and they were found to agree, allowing for the difference of their rates of going: A probable, if not a certain proof, that they had gone well since we had been in this sea.

The calm was succeeded by a wind from the south; between which point and the N.W., it continued for the six succeeding days, but never blew strong. It was, however, attended with a great hollow swell from the S.W. and W., a sure indication that no large land was near in those directions. We now steered east, inclining to the south, and on the 10th, in the latitude of 43° 39', longitude 144° 43' W., the variation was found, by several azimuths, to be more than 3° E., but the next morning it was found to be 4° 5' 30", and in the afternoon, 5° 56' E. The same day, at noon, we were in the latitude of 43° 44', longitude 141° 56' W.

At nine o'clock in the morning of the 12th, the longitude was observed as follows, viz.

Self 1st set 139° 47' 15"
Ditto, 2d set 140 7 30
Mr Wales 1st set 141 22 15
Mr Wales 2d set 140 10 0
Mr Clerke 140 56 45
Mr Gilbert 140 2 0
--------------
Mean 140 24 17-1/2 West.

This differed from my reckoning only 2° 1/2. The next morning, in the latitude of 43° 3', longitude 139° 20' W., we had several lunar observations, which were consonant to those made the day before, allowing for the ship's run in the time. In the afternoon we had, for a few hours, variable light airs next to a calm; after which we got a wind from the N.E., blowing fresh and in squalls, attended with dark gloomy weather, and some rain.

We stretched to the S.E. till five o'clock in the afternoon on the 14th, at which time, being in the latitude of 43° 15', longitude 137° 39' W., we tacked and stood to the north under our courses, having a very hard gale with heavy squalls, attended with rain, till near noon the next day, when it ended in a calm. At this time we were in the latitude of 42° 39', longitude 137° 58' W. In the evening, the calm was succeeded by a breeze from S.W., which soon after increased to a fresh gale; and fixing at S.S.W, with it we steered N.E. 1/2 E. in the latitude of 41° 25', longitude 135° 58' W., we saw floating in the sea a billet of wood, which seemed to be covered with barnacles; so that there was no judging how long it might have been there, or from whence or how far it had come.

We continued to steer N.E. 1/2 E., before a very strong gale which blew in squalls, attended with showers of rain and hail, and a very high sea from the same quarter, till noon, on the 17th. Being then in the latitude of 39° 44', longitude 133° 32' W., which was a degree and a half farther east than I intended to run; nearly in the middle between my track to the north in 1769, and the return to the south in the same year, and seeing no signs of land, I steered north-easterly, with a view of exploring that part of the sea lying between the two tracks just mentioned, down as low as the latitude of 27°, a space that had not been visited by any preceding navigator that I knew of.[4]

On the 19th, being in the latitude of 36° 34', longitude 133° 7' W., we steered N. 1/2 W., having still the advantage of a hard gale at south, which the next day veered to S.E. and E., blew hard and by squalls, attended with rain and thick hazy weather. This continued till the evening of the 21st, when the gale abated, the weather cleared up, and the wind backed to the S. and S.E.

We were now in the latitude of 32° 30', longitude 133° 40' W., from this situation we steered N.N.W. till noon the next day, when we steered a point more to the west; being at this time in the latitude of 31° 6', longitude 134° 12' W. The weather was now so warm, that it was necessary to put on lighter clothes; the mercury in the thermometer at noon rose to 63. It had never been lower than 46, and seldom higher than 54, at the same time of the day, since we left New Zealand.[5]

This day was remarkable by our not seeing a single bird. Not one had passed since we left the land, without seeing some of the following birds, viz. albatrosses, sheerwaters, pintadoes, blue peterels, and Port Egmont hens. But these frequent every part of the Southern Ocean in the higher latitudes: Not a bird, nor any other thing, was seen that could induce us to think that we had ever been in the neighbourhood of any land.

The wind kept veering round from the S. by the W. to N.N.W., with which we stretched north till noon the next day, when, being in the latitude of 29° 22', we tacked and stretched to the westward. The wind soon increased to a very hard gale, attended with rain, and blew in such heavy squalls as to split the most of our sails. This weather continued till the morning of the 25th, when the wind became more moderate, and veered to N.W. and W.N.W., with which we steered and stretched to N.E., being at that time in the latitude of 29° 51', longitude 130° 28' W. In the afternoon the sky cleared up, and the weather became fair and settled. We now met the first tropic bird we had seen in this sea.

On the 26th, in the afternoon, being in the latitude of 28° 44', we had several observations of the sun and moon, which gave the longitude 135° 30' W. My reckoning at the same time was 135° 27', and I had no occasion to correct it since I left the land. We continued to stretch to the north, with light breezes from the westward, till noon, the next day, when we were stopped by a calm; our latitude at this time being 27° 53', longitude 135° 17' W. In the evening, the calm was succeeded by a breeze from the N. and N.W., with which we plied to the N.

On the 29th I sent on board the Adventure to enquire into the state of her crew, having heard that they were sickly; and this I now found was but too true. Her cook was dead, and about twenty of her best men were down in the scurvy and flux. At this time _we_ had only three men on the sick list, and only one of them attacked with the scurvy. Several more, however, began to shew symptoms of it, and were accordingly put upon the wort, marmalade of carrots, rob of lemons and oranges.

I know not how to account for the scurvy raging more in the one ship than the other, unless it was owing to the crew of the Adventure being more scorbutic when they arrived in New Zealand than we were, and to their eating few or no vegetables while they lay in Queen Charlotte's Sound, partly for want of knowing the right sorts, and partly because it was a new diet, which alone was sufficient for seamen to reject it. To introduce any new article of food among seamen, let it be ever so much for their good, requires both the example and authority of a commander; without both, of which it will be dropt before the people are sensible of the benefits resulting from it. Were it necessary, I could name fifty instances in support of this remark. Many of my people, officers as well seamen, at first disliked celery, scurvy-grass, &c., being boiled in the peas and wheat; and some refused to eat it. But, as this had no effect on my conduct, this obstinate kind of prejudice by little and little wore off; they began to like it as well as the others; and now, I believe, there was hardly a man in the ship that did not attribute our being so free from the scurvy, to the beer and vegetables we made use of at New Zealand. After this I seldom found it necessary to order any of my people to gather vegetables, whenever we came where any were to be got, and if scarce, happy was he who could lay hold on them first. I appointed one of my seamen to be cook of the Adventure, and wrote to Captain Furneaux, desiring him to make use of every method in his power to stop the spreading of the disease amongst his people, and proposing such as I thought might tend towards it. But I afterwards found all this unnecessary, as every method had been used they could think of.[6]

The wind continued in the N.W. quarter, and blew fresh at times, attended with rain; with which we stood to the N.E. On the 1st of August, at noon, we were in the latitude of 25° 1', longitude 134° 6' W., and had a great hollow swell from N.W. The situation we were now in, was nearly the same that Captain Carteret assigns for Pitcairn's Island, discovered by him in 1767. We therefore looked well out for it, but saw nothing. According to the longitude in which he has placed it, we must have passed about fifteen leagues to the west of it. But as this was uncertain, I did not think it prudent, considering the situation of the Adventure's people, to lose any time in looking for it. A sight of it would, however, have been of use in verifying, or correcting, not only the longitude of this isle, but of the others that Captain Carteret discovered in this neighbourhood; his longitude not being confirmed, I think, by astronomical observations, and therefore liable to errors, which he could have no method to correct.

As we had now got to the northward of Captain Carteret's tracks, all hopes of discovering a continent vanished. Islands were all we were to expect to find, until we returned again to the south. I had now, that is on this and my former voyage, crossed this ocean in the latitude of 40° and upwards, without meeting any thing that in the least induced me to think I should find what I was in search after. On the contrary, every thing conspired to make me believe there is no southern continent, between the meridian of America and New Zealand; at least, this passage did not produce any indubitable signs of any, as will appear by the following remarks. After leaving the coasts of New Zealand, we daily saw floating on the sea rock- weed, for the space of 18° of longitude. In my passage to New Zealand in 1769, we also saw this weed, for the space of 12 or 14° of longitude before we made the land. The weed is undoubtedly the produce of New Zealand; because the nearer the coast, the greater quantity you see. At the greatest distance from the coast, we saw it only in small pieces, generally more rotten, and covered with barnacles, an indubitable sign that it had been long at sea. Were it not for this, one might be led to conjecture that some other large land lay in the neighbourhood; for it cannot be a small extent of coast to produce such a quantity of weed, as to cover so large a space of sea. It hath been already mentioned, that we were no sooner clear of the straits, than we met with a large hollow swell from the S.E., which continued till we arrived in the longitude of 177° W., and latitude 46°. There we had large billows from the N. and N.E., for five days successively, and until we got 5° of longitude more to the east, although the wind, great part of the time, blew from different directions. This was a strong indication that there was no land between us and my track to the west in 1769. After this, we had, as is usual in all great oceans, large billows from every direction in which the wind blew a fresh gale, but more especially from the S.W. These billows never ceased with the cause that first put them in motion; a sure indication that we were not near any large land, and that there is no continent to the south, unless in a very high latitude. But this was too important a point to be left to opinions and conjectures. Facts were to determine it, and these could only be obtained by visiting the southern parts; which was to be the work of the ensuing summer, agreeable to the plan I had laid down. As the winds continued to blow from the N.W. and W., we had no other choice but to stand to the north, inclining more or less every day to the east. In the latitude of 21° we saw flying-fish, gannets, and egg-birds. On the sixth, I hoisted a boat out, and sent for Captain Furneaux to dinner, from whom I learnt that his people were much better, the flux having left them, and the scurvy was at a stand. Some cyder which he happened to have, and which he gave to the scorbutic people, contributed not a little to this happy change. The weather to-day was cloudy, and the wind very unsettled. This seemed to announce the approach of the so-much-wished-for trade-wind; which, at eight o'clock in the evening, after two hours calm, and some heavy showers of rain, we actually got at S.E. We were, at this time, in the latitude of 19° 36' S., longitude 131° 32" W. The not meeting with the S.E. trade-wind sooner, is no new thing in this sea. As we had now got it, I directed my course to the W.N.W., as well to keep in the strength of it, as to get to the north of the islands discovered in my former voyage; that if any other islands lay in the way, I might have a chance to discover them.[7] During the day-time we made all the sail we could; but, in the night, either run an easy sail, or lay-to. We daily saw flying-fish, albacores, dolphins, &c., but neither by striking, nor with hook and line, could we catch any of them. This required some art, which none of my people were masters of.

On the 11th at day-break, land was seen to the south. This, upon a nearer approach, we found to be an island of about two leagues in extent, in the direction of N.W. and S.E., and clothed with wood, above which the cocoa- nut trees shewed their lofty heads. I judged it to be one of those isles discovered by Mr Bougainville. It lies in the latitude of 17° 24', longitude 141° 39' W., and I called it after the name of the ship, Resolution Island. The sickly state of the Adventure's crew made it necessary for me to make the best of my way to Otaheite, where I was sure of finding refreshments. Consequently I did not wait to examine this island, which appeared too small to supply our wants, but continued our course to the west, and at six o'clock in the evening, land was seen from the mast-head, bearing W. by S. Probably this was another of Bougainville's discoveries. I named it Doubtful Island, and it lies in the latitude of 17° 20', longitude 141° 38' W. I was sorry I could not spare time to haul to the north of Mr Bougainville's track; but the getting to a place where we could procure refreshments, was more an object at this time than discovery.[8]

During the night we steered W. by N., in order to pass the north of the island above-mentioned. At day-break the next morning, we discovered land right a-head, distant about two miles; so that day-light advised us of our danger but just in time. This proved another of these low or half-drowned islands, or rather a large coral shoal of about twenty leagues in circuit. A very small part of it was land, which consisted of little islets ranged along the north side, and connected by sand-banks and breakers. These islets were clothed with wood, among which the cocoa-nut trees were only distinguishable. We ranged the south side of this isle or shoal at the distance of one or two miles from the coral-bank, against which the sea broke in a dreadful surf. In the middle is a large lake or inland sea, in which was a canoe under sail.

This island, which I named after Captain Furneaux, lies in the latitude of 17° 5', longitude 143° 16' W. The situation is nearly the same that is assigned for one of those discovered by Bougainville. I must here observe, that amongst these low and half-drowned isles (which are numerous in this part of the ocean,) Mr Bougainville's discoveries cannot be known to that degree of accuracy which is necessary to distinguish them from others. We were obliged to have recourse to his chart for the latitudes and longitudes of the isles he discovered, as neither the one nor the other is mentioned in his narrative. Without waiting to examine this island we continued to steer to the west, all sails set, till six o'clock in the evening, when we shortened sail to three top-sails, and at nine brought-to.

The next morning at four a.m. we made sail, and at daybreak saw another of these low islands, situated in the latitude of 17° 4', longitude 144° 30' W., which obtained the name of Adventure Island. M. de Bougainville very properly calls this cluster of low overflowed isles the Dangerous Archipelago. The smoothness of the sea sufficiently convinced us that we were surrounded by them, and how necessary it was to proceed with the utmost caution, especially in the night.

At five o'clock p.m. we again saw land, bearing S.W. by S., which we afterwards found to be Chain Island, discovered in my former voyage. But as I was not sure of it at this time, and being desirous of avoiding the delay which lying by in the night occasioned, I hoisted out the cutter, and manned her with an officer and seven men, with orders to keep as far a-head of the ships, with a light at her masthead, as a signal could be distinguished, which she was to make in case she met with any danger. In this manner we continued to run all night; and, at six o'clock the next morning, I called her on board, and hoisted her in. For it did not appear she would be wanted again for this purpose, as we had now a large swell from the south, a sure sign that we were clear of the low islands; therefore I steered for Otaheite without being apprehensive of meeting with any danger.[9]

[1] Great shoals of cetaceous fish, of a perfectly black colour, with
a white spot before the back-fin, passed by us. They were fired at
from our vessel, and one of them being shot through the head, could no
longer plunge under water, but began to beat about furiously on the
surface, and tinged the sea with its blood. It seemed to be about
three yards long, and was slender and blunt-headed, from whence our
sailors called it the Bottle-nose, a name which Dale applies to a very
different fish, the beaked whale, of which the beak or nose resembles
the neck of a bottle."--G.F.

[2] "Beds of sea-weeds frequently were seen floating on the sea, but
we were now too much accustomed to their appearance, to attempt to
draw any conclusions from it. The thermometer, which at our departure
from New Zealand, stood at 51° at eight o'clock in the morning, sunk
in proportion as we came to the southward to 48°, and sometimes to
47°, at the same time of day; but the temperature of the air upon the
whole was extremely variable, and the weather equally unsettled. From
thence it arose, that we daily observed rainbows, or parts of them
about the horizon, especially in the morning. The wind during this
time was likewise very changeable, and veered round the compass in a
direction contrary to the course of the sun, that is, from west round
by the north towards east, and so further on; but it chiefly prevailed
from the easterly quarter, where we least expected it, so that our
situation became tedious, and was made more irksome by frequent fogs,
rains, and heavy swells."--G.F.

[3] According to Sir G.F., it seems that the venereal disease made its
appearance on some of the Adventure's crew, as was intimated by
Captain Furneaux to Captain Cook, during a visit paid to the latter.
In the opinion of Mr F., who is at some pains to investigate the
subject, this disease was indigenous in New Zealand where the sailors
contracted it, and not imported there by Europeans. This opinion is,
no doubt, in confirmation of what the writer has elsewhere stated to
be his own as to the general question respecting the origin of the
disease; but he is bound in candour to admit, that it seems to rest on
rather slender evidence and insufficient reasoning, in the present
instance--so that he is less disposed to avail himself of it. Mr F.
himself is not positive as to the facts on which he founds his
opinion, and consequently is not so as to the opinion. This is to be
inferred from his concluding remarks, which, besides, exhibit so fair
a specimen of just indignation and regret, as may deserve to be
offered to the reader's notice. "If," says he, "in spite of
appearances, our conclusions should prove erroneous, it is another
crime added to the score of civilized nations, which must make their
memory execrated by the unhappy people, whom they have poisoned.
Nothing can in the least atone for the injury they have done to
society, since the price at which their libidinous enjoyments were
purchased, instils another poison into the mind, and destroys the
moral principles, while the disease corrupts and enervates the body. A
race of men, who, amidst all their savage roughness, their fiery
temper, and cruel customs, are brave, generous, hospitable, and
incapable of deceiving, are justly to be pitied, that love, the source
of their sweetest and happiest feelings, is converted into the origin
of the most dreadful scourge of life." In this last paragraph, there
is reason to imagine Mr F. has somewhat overstepped the modesty of
both history and nature--the former, by too high commendation of the
New Zealanders, who, whatever merit they may claim on other grounds,
can scarcely be said, at least if facts are to be trusted, to be
incapable of deceiving; and the latter, in ascribing greater influence
to _love_ among these savages, than perhaps will ever be found
realised in such a condition of our nature. One cannot believe, that
so philosophical an enquirer should impute much efficacy as a source
of happiness to the mere brute passion; and it is equally unlikely
that so acute an observer should discover any thing more refined than
such an appetite in the sexual intercourse among so rude a tribe.
Probably then his language is fully more poetic than becomes the sober
narrator. This, indeed, is nowise uncommon with him, as the reader
perhaps is already convinced. But this very circumstance, it is
obvious, is to his advantage as a writer.--E.

[4] "The uncomfortable season of the year, the many contrary winds,
and the total want of interesting incidents, united to make this run
extremely tedious to us all, and the only point we gained by it, was
the certainty that no great land was situated in the South Sea about
the middle latitudes."--G.F.

[5] "The spirits of all our people were much exhilarated in proportion
as we approached to the tropics, and our sailors diverted themselves
with a variety of plays every evening. The genial mildness of the air
was so welcome to us, after a long absence from it, that we could not
help preferring the warm climates as the best adapted for the abode of
mankind."--G.F.

An observation of this sort, the evident result of experience, is
worth a thousand treatises, in shewing how much man is the creature of
circumstances and situation, and how justly his feelings, and of
consequence his thoughts, are modified by climate and weather. Some
philosophers, and, perhaps, more religionists, have endeavoured to
devise means to render the human mind and character independent of
physical elements. The attempt is just about as rational, and not a
bit less presumptuous, than that of making them free of the Divine
cognizance and authority, to which these elements are subjected. Such
attempts, it seems pretty evident, have been the source of delusive
self-congratulation in all ages of the world, and may be ascribed,
with no very mighty stretch of fancy, to the same busy agent, by whom,
in the earliest stage of our nature, man was tempted with the alluring
hope of becoming "as God." A wiser and more benevolent instructor
would teach him, on the contrary, to acknowledge his dependences and
avoiding forbidden things, to partake with cheerfulness of the
material blessings which surround him. This is genuine confidence in
the Supreme Ruler, though, to be sure, it has little or no charms for
the obstinate stoic, or the conceited pharisee. But "wisdom, it is
certain, will be justified of all who are under its influence."--E.

[6] "The difference between the salubrity of the two vessels probably
arose from the want of fresh air in the Adventure, our sloop being
higher out of the water, so that we could open more scuttles in bad
weather than our consort. Our people likewise made a greater
consumption of sour-krout and wort, and particularly applied the
grains of the latter to all blotches and swelled parts, a regimen
which had been omitted by those in the Adventure."--G.F.

[7] "After many wishes, and long expectation, we this day, (6th
August,) got the S.E. trade-wind. Its manner of coming on was rather
remarkable. About ten o'clock in the morning, a thick haze began to
rise in the eastern quarter, which by noon was become so thick, and
had spread so far, that it was with difficulty we got the sun's
meridian altitude; but the N.W. wind, which we had had for about a
fortnight, during which time the weather was generally fine and
pleasant, still continued to blow. In the afternoon we had some pretty
brisk showers, with which the N.W. wind died away, and it was calm
till eight o'clock in the evening, when a brisk steady gale sprung up
at S.E., and proved permanent."--W.

Mr F. has given some very valuable remarks respecting the trade-winds
but they are too long for this place.--E.

[8] "Our thermometer was now constantly between 70 and 80 degrees in
the morning; but the heat was far from being troublesome, as the fair
weather was accompanied by a strong pleasant trade-wind,"--G.F.

[9] This is a very fit place for the following curious observations on
the formation of the low islands spoken of in the text. "All the low
isles seem to me to be a production of the sea, or rather its
inhabitants, the polype-like animals forming the lithophytes. These
animalcules raise their habitation gradually from a small base, always
spreading more and more, in proportion as the structure grows higher.
The materials are a kind of lime mixed with some animal substance. I
have seen these large structures in all stages, and of various extent.
Near Turtle-Island, we found, at a few miles distance, and to leeward
of it, a considerable large circular reef, over which the sea broke
every where, and no part of it was above water; it included a large
deep lagoon. To the east and north-east of the Society-Isles, are a
great many isles, which, in some parts, are above water; in others,
the elevated parts are connected by reefs, some of which, are dry at
low-water, and others are constantly under water. The elevated parts
consist of a soil formed by a sand of shells and coral rocks, mixed
with a light black mould, produced from putrified vegetables, and the
dung of sea-fowls; and are commonly covered by cocoa-nut trees and
other shrubs, and a few antiscorbutic plants. The lower parts have
only a few shrubs, and the above plants; others still lower, are
washed by the sea at high-water. All these isles are connected, and
include a lagoon in the middle, which is full of the finest fish; and
sometimes there is an opening, admitting a boat, or canoe, in the
reef, but I never saw or heard of an opening that would admit a ship.
The reef, or the first origin of these cells, is formed by the
animalcules inhabiting the lithophytes. They raise their habitation
within a little of the surface of the sea, which gradually throws
shells, weeds, sand, small bits of corals, and other things, on the
tops of these coral rocks, and at last fairly raises them above water;
where the above things continue to be accumulated by the sea, till by
a bird, or by the sea, a few seeds of plants, that commonly grow on
the sea-shore, are thrown up, and begin to vegetate; and by their
annual decay and reproduction from seeds, create a little mould,
yearly accumulated by the mixture from sand, increasing the dry spot
on every side; till another sea happens to carry a cocoa-nut hither,
which preserves its vegetative power a long time in the sea, and
therefore will soon begin to grow on this soil, especially as it
thrives equally in all kinds of soil; and thus may all these low isles
have become covered with the finest cocoa-nut trees. The animalcules
forming these reefs, want to shelter their habitation from the
impetuosity of the winds, and the power and rage of the ocean; but as
within the tropics, the winds blow commonly from one quarter, they, by
instinct, endeavour to stretch only a ledge, within which is a lagoon,
which is certainly entirely screened against the power of both; this,
therefore, might account for the method employed by the animalcules in
building only narrow ledges of coral rocks, to secure in this middle a
calm and sheltered place, and this seems to me to be the most probable
cause of the origin of all the tropical low isles, over the whole
South Sea."--F.

This theory has been pretty generally adopted by scientific men, and
does not seem liable to any valid objection. The astonishment it may
excite, is quite analogous to what is experienced on any discovery of
the important ends to which the instinctive labours of other creatures
are subservient, and is great, merely because of the conceived
magnitude of the object to which it relates. But this affords no
presumption against the truth of the theory; rather indeed, if the
doctrine of final causes be allowed any credit, may be held, as in
some degree, circumstantial evidence in its favour. We shall
elsewhere, it is expected, have occasion to consider the subject with
the attention it deserves.--E.