were it
properly supported and improved by the Dutch, as it should be, it would
command a great deal of trade, and during war be of great consequence.
It is governed by a Dutch military officer, and is garrisoned with about
fifty soldiers. The country is remarkably fine here, the plains richly
cultivated and covered with cattle. The farmers complain bitterly of the
taxes imposed upon them by the Dutch, taxes so onerous that no native
has a chance of realising any profits of consequence; but this is Dutch
policy, and very unwise policy it is. We now thought that we were about
to proceed to the isle of France direct, but we were mistaken: we
weighed anchor, and proceeded to the Cocoa islands. This is a low group
of islands literally covered with cocoa-nut trees. These islands are
possessed by a Mr. Ross, formerly mate of a merchant vessel. His family
consisted of two sons and two daughters, and are the only Europeans who
reside there. We could not help thinking that the Misses Ross had very
little chance of getting husbands. The remainder of the population,
amounting to about 120 souls, are all black. They extract the oil from
the cocoa-nut, and trade with it to Java, from whence they procure the
necessary supplies. Whalers occasionally call here to obtain fresh
provisions; but the visit of a man-of-war was quite an event.

From the Cocoas we steered for the Cagardos Carahos shoals, where we
remained for more than a fortnight, surveying. There are several islands
close to these shoals, which are in the shape of a crescent. They are
very dangerous, being in the direct track of ships from China and the
Indies.

Indeed, we had ocular proof of their dangerous position, for there were
seven or eight wrecks upon them, and the small islands of sand were
crowded with masts, spars, chests, interspersed with human bones
bleaching in the powerful sun. On one of the islands we discovered the
remains of the British ship Letitia, which was wrecked in September,
1845. At a short distance from the beach was the grave of the captain,
who was drowned in attempting to reach the shore with a bag of dollars.
Had he not held on so tight to the bag, he would in all probability have
been saved, as were all the rest on board of her. It certainly would be
very advisable to build a lighthouse upon these shoals; the expense
would be nothing compared to the loss of property and life which they
occasion every year. From the Cagardos Carahos we procee