The breeze continued fresh from the westward and W.N.W., but was not strong enough to overcome the tides, which at this distance ran past the ship three-quarters knot an hour, the flood setting to the N.E., and the ebb to the W.S.W.

A very smart pilot boat soon came alongside and asked us if we wanted a pilot. Now orders are against this; and, in fact, with Captain Beechey's admirable chart a pilot is unnecessary. However, on hearing that we were from Bhering Strait, and had been looking for Sir John Franklin, one of their number, Mr. Peter M'Nally, was deputed to come on board and offer his services in the name of all the pilots! This was a compliment highly gratifying, and although it was no great sacrifice to come and see us, and pass a comfortable night in conversation with the officers about what they had seen in the polar regions, still it was a handsome and flattering piece of civility, with which I was much pleased. Mr. Peter M'Nally was an American, and of course not without many of their peculiarities. He considered, "They were bound to have Cuba," which occasioned a smile of doubt with us; but he was obliging and civil, and I was very glad to meet him. From him we received the first intimation that war had been actually declared against Russia on the 28th of March, 1854.

For entering the harbour Captain Beechey's directions and chart are so admirable that little seems necessary to add to them. It is as well to keep over a little towards Punta Boneta on the northern shore in entering, even with a fair wind, as you have the harbour more fairly-open to you, and have more advantage of the tide. At daylight on the morning of the 25th of September, we ran in with a fair wind and flood tide, being high water to-day at 1h. 16m. p.m., three days past the new moon.

San Francisco is an imposing harbour. The entrance, through a narrow gorge, between rugged headlands, about three or four miles long, and less than one mile broad in some parts, imparts the feeling that one is in truth entering a harbour. The wind was steady and the tide strong in our favour, so that we could not have gone in more pleasantly. It seemed to excite Mr. Peter M'Nally's surprise seeing me determined to anchor in Sancelito Cove in preference to the anchorage of Yerba Buena and the city, But I had a dread of San Francisco, a needless one perhaps in our circumstances, and as water was all I intended to wait for, I had no wish to delay there. We rounded too in the cove, and anchored in 13 fathoms, mud. Veered to 60.

It was high water on the shore at 12h. 30m., and the ship swung to the ebb at 1h. p.m. The tides, as given in the papers of the city, are intended for that part of the bay, and the tides at Sancelito are forty or fifty minutes earlier.

My object in coming to San Francisco was to forward Captain Collinson's despatches. I therefore lost no time in going to the city. The breeze was fresh and the tide strong flood. We were swept by it to the northward of Alcatrace Island, on which the Americans are

forming batteries to protect the mouth of the harbour; as well as at the old fort point on the southern side at the narrowest part of the entrance. We landed at the city about twelve o'clock, having first been taken by Mr. Peter M'Nally on board some really yacht-like pilot boats of 80 and 120 tons, furnished with comfort and even splendour.

I had landed at San Francisco from the Herald in 1846, when the Americans had begun their emigration, but before the discovery of the gold. The change is certainly wonderful. The mud bank Vancouver complains of as rendering landing very inconvenient, is now a part of the city; the bay between the N.E. points of the peninsula has had piles driven into it, has been planked over, and is gradually becoming terra firma, and the most valuable part of the city of 50,000 inhabitants, which certainly in 1846 had nothing like 500 people belonging to it. This is certainly a wonderful improvement, and although I am not an admirer of San Francisco or its inhabitants, yet I must confess I remembered my wading through the mud in the same place eight years ago, and acknowledged there were some benefits even in American annexation.

San Francisco is a flourishing place no doubt; it has forests of ships in its harbours, goods in its warehouses, merchants enterprising and hospitable, as I am sure I cannot but acknowledge during my couple of hours' stay, but I do not like the place, it is dedicated to Mammon, not more so may be than London, New York, or Boston, or a hundred other cities in all countries; but it is a new place; it has nothing beyond its gold and its money making population.

Some of the merchants are in raptures with their city, and asked me to go to the summit of a hill to get a view of it. The booths of a fair would have had as much interest in my mind, and I was in a hurry to be off. I saw Mr. Aikin, the consul, and was taken by him to a club or billiard-room, from which I thought myself fortunate when I got away. I must confess the Americans shine preeminent in drinks, drinks emphatically, they are admirable, and would overcome teetotalism almost. I made acquaintance with iced brandy and water such as I had never tasted before,-champagne,-mint julep,-sherry cobler; but I was fain to cry off, I had a boat's crew in the town, and had to cross the harbour; and after leaving the despatches and hearing that provisions of all kinds were most abundant, took my leave.

San Francisco is a flourishing place no doubt, and has 50,000 enterprising inhabitants from all quarters of the globe. Its sudden rise is the chief feature in the place, and is its chief curiosity. It is in the highway of commerce, and will doubtless always be an important place.

In returning to Sancelito Cove we had the ebb tide to think of, and were recommended to pull up inshore towards Fort Point and then strike off for the other side. This we found good advice, as we were the shortest time exposed to the swell and contrary tide, besides being in a better position with regard to the breeze, as then we very nearly laid across with our lug sail.

I did not get fresh beef here, which I regretted; but we laid in abundance of other supplies, so that it was of the less consequence. Water was brought to us by a steam tank,* which also affords a convenient mode of communicating with the city.

Sancelito is still neglected. At one time the American government thought of establishing a naval yard here; but they have now shifted the site to an island a few miles distant on the Sacramento River. The assigned reason was that Sancelito was too much exposed to an invading force, which might land to the northward of the harbour and take it in the rear.

There are not half a dozen houses in the place at present, and the steamer coming in with a passenger or two, or a man-of-war every now and then, redeems the place from almost total desertion. Its great neighbour has eclipsed it entirely.

Mr. McNally, the pilot, told me that we had sailed between the Farallones, and that they were steep close to. And between the three clusters of rocks there is no danger.

Tuesday, 26th September, 1855.-It was calm all the forenoon, but at 1h. p.m., when the ebb tide made, we tried to get out. There was some difficulty, however, under the high land in getting a breeze, which, I am told, has been an objection of old to this anchorage. We appeared to be at the mercy of the tide, which drifted us closer than was pleasant under the high cliffs of the Ilaza de los Cavallos, as it is termed in Beechey's chart. I was obliged to lower the boats down to tow her head round. And having to hoist them up again when we got into the stream was inconvenient. The wind was against us, but the ebb tide was making strong. Avoid the tide ripples on either side, and take care not to get into the bays on either side. Captain Frederick, in the Amphitrite, backed and filled out; but this was in a light breeze. We made five boards or ten tacks before we were outside the bar,-off or on which we had more swell than in other parts. Captain Wilkes gives an appalling description of his

* Sancelito Water Company.-This company is now running a steamer daily, bringing water to the city, and supplying the ships in the harbour. They have a reservoir at Sancelito which will hold about 180,000 gallons. situated a short distance from the wharf on the rising land. Through the centre of this runs a water-tight partition, for the purpose of allowing the cleansing of it without breaking the supply.

The reservoir is fed by springs from the mountains, the largest of which empties in from the South-west. There are also some four or five springs which add to the supply, running through an aqueduct from the North-west. In addition to these, an aqueduct was built some weeks since in the grounds belonging to Mr. Richardson, drawing the water from some eight other springs, and enabling the company to supply four or five hundred thousand gallons daily. They put it on board their water boat through a square trough, some ten inches in the clear, which will fill its capacity (30,000 gallous) in twenty minutes, which quantity is discharged, on its arrival in this city, into their water tank, at the foot of Washington Street, by means of the steam-pump of the boat, in about thirty minutes. The reservoirs in the city will hold above 100,000 gallons.-San Francisco Paper, September, 1854.

dangerous position at anchor too near it. Vancouver speaks of the port as one remarkably easy of access; and he had no chart or guide from others to give him information.

The pilot told me that there was good shelter in a small bay between Punta de los Reyes and Punta Boneta, formed by a sand bank, and perfectly capable of affording protection to the vessels forming Sir Francis Drake's squadron,-the Americans still call it Drake's Bay; or, I suppose. have so named it in his honour. There are few Spaniards or half-caste Mexicans of the present day who have heard of Drake and his exploits. It is only curious as confirming a point that has been doubtful hitherto.

REMARKS ON THE ATOLL OF EBON, IN MICRONESIA. By the Rev. E. T. Doane.

We will begin our remarks on the Atoll of Ebon by referring in a general way first, to that section of Micronesia which embraces it, known as the Marshall Islands. The name is that given by Krusensten in honour of Captain Marshall, who made the first discoveries there in company with Captain Gilbert. The discoveries date back seventy-two years; the first island was seen in 1788, the last being discovered only in 1824.

The whole group lies within the longitudes 166° and 172° East, and 4° 39′ and 12° North latitude. Of the atolls of the group some are large, measuring forty, fifty, and sixty miles in circumference, while others are mere bank-reefs, two or three miles in circumference. Of the large islands, we may mention Jaluit or Bonham, Rimski Korsakoff or Rong-rik and Rong-lab, and Mille or the Mulgrave Islands. Of the mere bank-reefs, we may mention Kili or Hunter and Lib or Princess Island. And we would here remark, perhaps no group of the Pacific presents a more tangled mass in the nomenclature of its islands than do the Marshall Islands, and especially the Ralik range. Some of the terms we have given above may perplex the reader as he attempts to trace them out on ordinary charts.

The Marshall Islands are divided by a deep sea about one hundred and fifty miles wide into two chains, the Eastern or Radak, and the Western or Ralik. Their general bearing is N.W. and S.E. The Eastern chain possesses thirteen atolls and the Western sixteen. The general features of these atolls are similar to those of most coral islands. They are low, the reef-rock in none probably measuring more than ten or twelve inches in elevation. In form, however, there is much diversity. Mille or Mulgrave Island is nearly a parallelogram; Majuro or Arrowsmith, is oval; Elon, circular; while Jaluith or Bonham Island and Arlinglab-lab or Elmore Islands, and many others, are without any definite forms.

The atolls vary in fertility. Those South of 8° N. latitude possess, from all native accounts, the most fertile islets and the most available soil. Their fertility may be accounted for from the fact that more rain falls on them. They are more affected by the equatorial belt of "constant precipitation" which is ever oscillating backwards and forwards over them. Dead leaves and wood rapidly decay.

-or

It is an interesting fact, anomalous to the general features of coral islands, vide Dana's Coral Island, p 24, that the leeward side of these islands possesses the largest body of land. Indeed the windward side of many of these islands is entirely destitute of land,possessing it only in small islets. On Mille or Mulgrave Islands and Majuro, Arrowsmith, Jaluith, Bonham Islands, and Ebon Islands, which the writer has visited, this is emphatically true. The windward side of Majuro is possessed only of small islets, while the leeward side is one continuous strip of land, twenty-five miles long. Jaluith is much like this; perhaps, however, it has not so continuous a piece of land on the leeward side, though there is here the most fertile soil. On Ebon this is likewise true.

An explanation of this fact may perhaps be found in the strong winds, the N.E. Trades sweeping with all their force for one half the year over these reefs. These strong winds and the heavy sea they raise, tend to sweep off the material which might accumulate there; and bearing some portion on across the lagoon to the leeward side, is there lodged, and helps forward most rapidly the accumulation of the beach formation.

The fact has been stated that the northern atolls of the Marshall Islands are rather subsiding than otherwise,-vide Dana's Coral Island, p. 134. It may be asked, is this not rather apparent than real? May not the small amount of wooded land found there-for this is the basis of this statement-be owing rather to the heavy seas and winds which there prevail? The natives ever speak of the heavy winds of that latitude, 12° N. Islands have been desolated by them. We feel disposed to offer this as a solution of the fact.

Another fact, we would state as common to the whole group,-is the existence of large ship channels on almost every side of the lagoon. Mille possesses four large ones, three of them, and one the largest of all, on the windward side. Jaluith has its reef pierced by as many, and much in the same position. While Majuro has its channel on the windward side only, and Ebon on the leeward. We cannot speak of more from personal observation, though the natives say the other islands possess many channels and in much the same position of those above mentioned.

With these remarks upon the general features of the Marshall Islands, we proceed to remark upon the atoll of Ebon.

The position of this atoll is 4° 39, N. lat., 168° 49′ 30′′ E. long. This is the position from the anchorage of the Morning Star in the lagoon. The atoll is the most southern one of the Ralik range. It was discovered May 25th, 1824, by Captain George Ray, who named it Boston Island. In 1834 Captain Covel thought it a new discovery,