en of them have any appreciable size, and these are
named--commencing from the north--Muko-shima (Bridegroom Island),
Nakadachi-shima (Go-between Island[1]), Yome-shima (Bride Island),
Ototo-jima (Younger-brother Island), Ani-shima (Elder-brother Island),
Chichi-jima (Father Island), Haha-jima (Mother Island), Mei-jima (Niece
Island), Ani-jima (Elder-sister Island) and Imoto-jima (Younger-sister
Island). European geographers have been accustomed to divide the islands
into three groups for purposes of nomenclature, calling the northern
group the Parry Islands, the central the Beechey Islands and the
southern the Coffin or Bailey Islands. The second largest of all,
Chichi-jima, in Japanese cartography was called Peel Island in 1827 by
Captain Beechey, and the same officer gave the name of Stapleton Island
to the Ototo-jima of the Japanese, and that of Buckland Island to their
Ani-jima. To complete this account of Captain Beechey's nomenclature, it
may be added that he called a large bay on the south of Peel Island
Fitton Bay, and a bay on the south-west of Buckland Island Walker
Bay.[2] Port Lloyd, the chief anchorage (situated on Peel Island), is
considered by Commodore Perry--who visited the islands in 1853 and
strongly urged the establishment of a United States coaling station
there--to have been formerly the crater of a volcano from which the
surrounding hills were thrown up, the entrance to the harbour being a
fissure through which lava used to pour into the sea. The islands are,
indeed, plainly volcanic in their nature.

_History._--The diversity of nomenclature indicated above suggests that
the ownership of the islands was for some time doubtful. According to
Japanese annals they were discovered towards the close of the 16th
century, and added to the fief of a Daimyo, Ogasawa Sadayori, whence the
name Ogasawara-jima. They were also called _Bunin-jima_ (corrupted by
foreigners into Bonin) because of their being without (_bu_) inhabitants
(_nin_). Effective occupation did not take place, however, and
communications with the islands ceased altogether in 1635, as was a
natural consequence of the Japanese government's veto against the
construction of sea-going vessels. In 1728 fitful communication was
restored by the then representative of the Ogasawara family, only to be
again interrupted until 1861, when an unsuccessful attempt was made to
establish a Japanese colony at Port Lloyd. Meanwhile, Captain Beechey
visited t