voyage was in 1615, in command of the Concordia. An account of his expedition and adventures, in company with the intrepid Lemaire, was published in Amsterdam, in 1617.

SCHOUTEN, GAUTIER.-A Dutch navigator, who died in 1680. He was in the service of the Dutch East India Company, cruising principally among the islands of the East Indian Archipelago. A man of rare ability in his day, with a practical knowledge of the waters and islands of Western Oceanica, that served materially in establishing the foothold obtained by the Dutch in the Pacific. He published an account of his voyages, at Amsterdam, in 1676.

TASMAN, ABEL JANSEN.-Was born about 1600; time and manner of his death unknown. In the early part of his career, he served with the Dutch East India Company, in Japanese and Chinese waters, and later on, as a cruiser among the islands. In 1642, he was employed by the governor of the above company, to command in a voyage of discovery to the south of the line, and to ascertain the extent, if possible, of Australia, then known as New Holland. On the 24th of November, in the above year, he discovered the island of Tasmania, naming it Van Diemen's Land. The voyage, which occupied ten months, was one of some importance, as Tasman discovered New Zealand, the Fiji and Friendly groups, besides obtaining much valuable data in regard to Australia and New Guinea. He made a second voyage in 1644, with the intention of circumnavigating New Guinea and New Holland, of which there is no authentic data.

VANCOUVER, GEORGE.-Born in England in 1758; died there, May 10th, 1798. First sailed with Captain James Cook, in his second and third voyages; was made lieutenant, and served for some years in the West Indies. His fourth voyage was made in command in 1791, to the British possessions in Western North America, which he reached, after touching at the Sandwich Islands, in 1792, when he took possession of Vancouver Island, and made many valuable charts from his surveys of the northern coasts, as well as the settlement of some complications that had sprung up, in regard to Vancouver Island. During his surveys of the northern coast, his winters were spent in the Sandwich Islands. Returned to England in 1795, surveyed and made many valuable notes of the west coast of South America, on his way back.

WILKES, CHARLES.-Born in New York in 1801; served as midshipman in the U. S. Navy, in the Mediterranean, in 1816, and on the Pacific in 1821-3. On August 18th, 1838, sailed in command of a United States exploring expedition, to the South Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, with five vessels and one store ship, visiting, surveying and exploring many islands of the Pacific, and with the many scientific men under him, making a valuable record, and important discoveries in both oceans. In 1840, the squadron arrived at the Fiji Islands and the Hawaiian group, where the scientific observations, maps and charts made, have contributed a great deal to a correct knowledge of the Pacific. In 1841, sailed to the northwest coast of America, partially exploring the Columbia and Sacramento Rivers, and the Bay of San Francisco. In the same year, sailed from the latter harbor, visiting the

Phillippines, Borneo, the Molluccas, Singapore, etc., crossing the Indian Ocean, rounding the Cape of Good Hope, calling at the island of St. Helena, and other points of interest in the Atlantic; reaching New York, January 10th, 1842. Wilkes was the author of many important works, while the voluminous records kept. of the expedition, and published by our Government, contain an immense amount of valuable information. Wilkes took part in the United States Civil War, serving with marked ability, and was created rear-admiral on the retired list, July 25th, 1866.

CHAPTER XX.

ISLAND MISCELLANY, AND DEPTHS OF THE SEA.

T

Skill'd in the globe and sphere, he gravely stands,
And, with his compass, measures seas and lands.

DRYDEN (Sixth Satire of Juvenal).

HERE are many points of interest to be glanced at, still, on the Pacific Ocean, a few of which I note below, before concluding with the depths of the sea.

NORFOLK ISLAND.

This island, located in latitude 28 deg. 58 min. south, and longitude 167 deg. 46 min. east, something over one thousand miles northeast from Sydney, has a population, at present, of not over five hundred people, and an area of about fifteen square miles. It is the principal of a group of small islets, known as the Bird Islands. It is put down as one of Cook's discoveries, in 1774. The surface is extremely rugged, standing high above the ocean level. In fact, so precipitous are its sides, that but two landing places are to be found, indenting the shores, and these dangerous, from the baffling currents and heavy surf. A portion of the lands, back from the coast, is very fertile, nearly all the products of tropical and temperate