What is comprehended under the name of Palmerston’s Island, is a group of small islets, of which there are in the whole nine or ten, lying in a circular direction, and connected together, by a reef of coral rocks.  The boats first examined the south-easternmost of the islets which compose this group, and, failing there, ran down to the second, where we had the satisfaction to see them land.  I then bore down with the ships till abreast of the place, and there we kept standing off and on; for no bottom was to be found to anchor upon, which was not of much consequence, as the party who had landed from our boats were the only human beings upon the island.

About one o’clock one of the boats came on board, laden with scurvy-grass and young cocoa-nut trees, which, at this time, was a feast for the cattle.  The same boat brought a message from Mr Gore, who commanded the party, informing me that there was plenty of such produce upon the island, as also of the wharra tree, and some cocoa-nuts.  This determined me to get a good supply of these articles before I quitted this station, and, before evening, I went ashore in a small boat, accompanied by Captain Clerke.

We found every body hard at work, and the landing place to be in a small creek, formed by the reef, of something more than a boat’s length in every direction, and covered from the force of the sea by rocks projecting out on each side of it.  The island is scarcely a mile in circuit, and not above three feet higher than the level of the sea.  It appeared to be composed entirely of a coral sand, with a small mixture of blackish mould, produced from rotten vegetables.  Notwithstanding this poor soil, it is covered with trees and bushes of the same kind as at Wanooa-ette, though with less variety; and amongst these are some cocoa palms.  Upon the trees or bushes that front the sea, or even farther in, we found a great number of men-of-war birds, tropic birds, and two sorts of boobies, which at this time were laying their eggs, and so tame, that they suffered us to take them off with our hands.  Their nests were only a few sticks loosely put together; and the tropic birds laid their eggs on the ground, under the trees.  These differ much from the common sort, being entirely of a most splendid white, slightly tinged with red, and having the two long tail-feathers of a deep crimson or blood colour.  Of each sort our people killed a considerable number; and, though not the most delicate food, they were acceptable enough to us who had been long confined to a salt diet, and who, consequently, could not but be glad of the most indifferent variety.  We met with vast numbers of red crabs, creeping about every where amongst the trees; and we caught several fish that had been left in holes upon the reef when the sea retired.