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19th Century American Whaling

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No. 123

ASIATIC PILOT

Volume II

THE JAPAN ISLANDS

1910

PUBLISHED BY THE HYDROGRAPHIC OFFICE
UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY

WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1910

OGASAWARA (BONIN OR ARZOBISPO) ISLANDS.

      General remarks. — These islands consist of three groups, the whole extending in a northerly direction from the parallel of 26° 30' N. to 27° 45' N. The islands were originally named by the old navigators, but most of them now bear Japanese names. The first settlement was made by emigrants from the Sandwich Islands in 1830, but the majority of the inhabitants are now Japanese, which people are said to have visited the Bonin islands in 1675. Their Government assumed the sovereignty in the year 1877, and there is now a Japanese governor. There are still some British subjects residing there.

      Population, Japanese 5,450, and foreigners 100 in 1900.

      The forests clothing the hillsides consist mostly of palms, such as the areca and pandanus, besides the sago plant, and a species resembling the cocoanut. There are also tree ferns. A species of mulberry grows to a circumference of stem of 13 feet. The soil being composed of volcanic debris, is extremely fertile, yielding all the Japanese cereals, etc. The sugar industry has been largely developed and sugar

forms the chief article of export; some trade is also done in canning turtle and pineapple for the Tokyo market. Various kinds of fish and turtles abound in the surrounding waters.

      Communication. — A steamer runs monthly from Yokohama to this group.

      Submarine cables are laid between Tokyo and Futami Harbor, Chichi Jima; thence to Okimura Harbor, Haha Jima; and thence to Guam.

      Winds, climate, etc. — The Ogasawara, or Bonin Islands, lie northward of the northeast trade region and eastward of the monsoons, and the climate is said to be remarkably fine. From January to March westerly winds, variable between north and south, prevail; with occasional calms. March is showery. Northwest and west winds in January and February often freshen into gales. From April to June, easterly winds, from northeast, to southeast are experienced, with occasional calms. In April, when the wind is changing in general direction from west to east, there are showers. Gales from southeast, shifting to south and west, are sometimes felt in May, but not often. Southwest winds occasionally intervene in June.

      From July to September easterly winds prevail, variable round to south and sometimes southwest. In July and August much rain falls. From October to December the winds are northerly, sometimes eastward of northeast and westward of northwest. Northwesterly and westerly gales are felt in December.

      The mean annual temperature is about 70°; it is coldest in January and February, when the mean monthly temperature is 55°, and warmest in August, when the mean monthly temperature is 80°. The mean temperature is over 70° from May until October. During the three years ending 1900. the highest reading was 95° and the lowest was 48°.

      The mean annual height of the barometer is 29.89 inches, the monthly mean being highest in December and January, when it is 30.04, and lowest in August, when it is 29.80. The mean height of the barometer falls gradually from January to August and rises very quickly from November to December.

      Fogs are frequent in June and are especially dense eastward of the islands; in July they are less frequent.

      Currents. — The islands lie in a region of weak currents, but their direction and force are uncertain. The prevailing drift is a warm stream running to the eastward at a rate of about half a knot an hour, but this is not always felt. Among the islands there are tidal streams.

      Parry Group, the northern cluster of the Ogasawara group, is composed of small islands and pointed rocks, and has much broken ground about it, which renders caution necessary in approaching it. The islands extend 9 miles in a northwest and southeast direction, between Lat. 27° 37' N. and Lat. 27° 45' N.

      Rocks and islets to the northward, see page 162.

      Rosario or Disappointment Island, in Lat. 27° 16' N., Long. 140° 51' E., is about 1 mile in length, east and west, and 148 feet high. It is rugged, apparently barren, and surrounded by numerous isolated rocks. The surf breaks heavily all around it, and landing is impracticable.

      Kater Island lies in the channel between the Parry and Chichi Jima groups. It is surrounded by rocks in every direction.

      Chichi Jima (Beechey) Group, the central, consists of three islands, of which Chichi Jima (Peel Island), the largest and most southern, is 4 1/4 miles in length. The northern island is Ototo Jima (Stapleton), and the center one, Ani Jima (Buckland); they rise almost perpendicularly out of the sea, and their black and wall-like rugged cliffs and low vegetation present a rough and inhospitable aspect. The islands of this group are divided by two narrow unnavigable channels.

      Ototo Jima (Stapleton Island), the most northern large island of the central group, is of volcanic origin; its surface is hilly, and interspersed with large tracts of fertile land.

      There is a bight on the western side, which appears to be deep; it is surrounded by rocks and the mountains here rise from 800 feet to 1,500 feet in height; a promontory divides the bight, and on the land bordering the northern part is a spring of good water which issues from a rock.

      Kita Jima lies about 1/3 mile northeastward of the northern extreme of Ototo Jima, with an islet about midway between.

      Supplies. — There are a great many wild goats on the island, and the same supplies may be procured as at Chichi Jima.

      Ani Jima (Buckland Island), southward of Ototo Jima, has anchorage in Takino Ura, Walker Bay, on its southwestern side, in from 10 to 18 fathoms, but sailing vessels must be careful in bringing up to avoid being swept out of soundings by the current. Hitomaru Jima (Little Goat Island), connected to the main by a reef, lies on the western side of this bay. Deer are said to be found here.

      Nishi Jima (Goat Island) lies off the western entrance to the channel between Ani Jima and Chichi Jima: it is about 300 feet high, and is surrounded by rocks and islets.

Yoriretsu Iwa lies nearly 1/2 mile southward of the southwestern end of Nishi Jima.

      Chichi Jima attains a height of nearly 900 feet, the hills being well wooded and watered. Tidal waves are not uncommon here, the water sometimes suddenly rising some 7 or 8 feet. This phenomenon is probably due to volcanic action.

      Minami Jima (Knorr Island) lies off the southwestern side of the island, and has several rocks and islets in its vicinity.

      A rock, with a depth of 5 fathoms, lies about 3/4 mile northwestward of the island.

      Nihon Iwa (Sail Rocks) 60 feet high, lie to the northward of Minami Jima. There are patches of 6 feet or less about 200 yards northward and the same distance southward of Nihon Iwa.

      Futami Minato (Port Lloyd), on the western side of Chichi Jima, is about 1 1/2 miles in length by nearly a mile in breadth, but the navigable channel of the entrance is reduced to about 1/2 mile by Horton Shoal, with 1 1/4 fathoms of water and others extending from the northern side, and South Shoal with the same depth situated northward of South Head. The harbor has depths of 20 to 25 fathoms over sand and coral bottom. The bleak shores of the port are steep and lofty, but in the ravines there is luxuriant vegetation, and in the larger valleys good pasturage. This harbor, as well as others in the group, is visited by two or three whaling ships every year. The population numbers about 400, who are mostly Japanese, and there are 50 or 60 half-bred Sandwich islanders. A stock farm, established on the island is said to have been unsuccessful, owing to the irritation caused to the animals by flies.

      South Head is the sea face of Yagi Shima, a bold island 492 feet high, on the southern side of the entrance to the harbor.

      Eboshi Iwa (Square Rock), 260 feet high, lies off the northern entrance point. Several shoals extend southeastward from it, the southernmost of which is Horton Shoal, before mentioned, lying 600 yards 157° from the eastern end of Eboshi Iwa.

      Beacon. — A triangular beacon, 21 feet high, has been erected on Maru Yama, on the eastern side of the port; this beacon in line with a white patch on Kaname Iwa leads into Port Lloyd.

      Pier. — A small pier has been constructed at O Mura, the settlement on the northwestern side of the port, to facilitate landing.

      Directions. In approaching Futami Minato from the southward, the mark for passing westward of the shoals southward of the port is to keep Asahi Yama (the Paps, 879 and 886 feet high, and situated

      on the northeastern side of the harbor), open westward of South Head, 50°, thence giving the head a berth of about 600 yards until on the leading mark, given below.

      Approaching from the northward, after passing Eboshi Iwa, the southwestern extreme of Nishi Jima should be kept well open westward of Eboshi Iwa, 326°, astern, to pass westward of all the shoals southeastward of Eboshi Iwa, until Kaname Iwa bears 89°.

      The leading mark through the entrance is the triangular beacon on Maru Yama, in line with the white patch on Kaname Iwa, which Ieads in midway between South Shoal and Horton Shoal. When Pointed Rock, off the northeastern extreme of Yagi Shima, is in line with Sugarloaf at the southeastern extreme of that island, bearing 210°, its mark may be kept on astern to lead to the anchorage.

      Anchorage. — The harbor is safe and commodious, although the water is deep, vessels usually anchoring in 18 to 22 fathoms, with Black Rock about 280° and Futami Iwa (North Rock) 10°. There is a coral bank with 8 fathoms of water, charted near this position.

      The best position is as high up the harbor as the vessel can go, provided she has room to swing and veer cable. Vessels can also moor in Ten-fathom Hole, northwestward of North Rock.

      Tides. — It is high water, full and change, in Futami Minato at 6h. 08m., and springs rise 3 feet.

      Communication. — There is regular communication with Yokohama every three months (or less), generally by steamer.

      Submarine cables connect this port with Tokyo, and with Guam via Haha Jima.

      Supplies can only be obtained in limited quantities. They consist of potatoes, yams, fruit, wild pigs, and goats. Turtle are taken from January to March. Wood is plentiful, and a moderate supply of water can be got from the watering place in Ten-fathom Hole. The Japanese cultivate coffee, cotton, rice, and barley.

      Tatsumi Ura (Fitton Bay), at the southeastern angle of Chichi Jima, affords good anchorage, in 17 fathoms, sandy bottom, but is open to the southeastward, and as the winds from this quarter blow generally during summer, it will be prudent not to anchor there during that season. On the northeastern side of the entrance there is a large islet connected with the north bluff of the bay by a reef, and to the southward of the entrance lie some sunken rocks; vessels should therefore not close the land in that direction so as to shut in the Paps (near the head of Futami Harbor) with Tatsumi Saki, the south bluff of the bay.

      Haha Jima (Baily or Coffin) Group, the southernmost of the three groups, were first visited by Mr. Coffin in 1823; they were named by Captain Beechey in 1827; the Japanese names are now added. A

reconnaissance of these islands was made in 1857 by the American squadron.

      Haha Jima (Hillsborough Island), the largest of the Baily group, is 1,471 feet high, and the greater part is hilly and rocky. There are some wild hogs upon it; fish are abundant, and turtle in the season.

      Off the northern point and northwestern points of the island, reefs and rocks extend some distance seaward. From the southwestern point of the island, reefs and islets, terminated by Hira Shima, a narrow island, extend to a distance of 2 1/2 miles.

      New Port, on the southwestern side of the island, is partially sheltered by Muko Jima (Plymouth Island) to the southwestward, but it is exposed to the westward, and the holding ground is not good. There is anchorage in New Port in 14 fathoms, about 1/2 mile from its head.

      Supplies. — Both wood and water may be procured, the latter from a small stream near the head of the cove northward of the anchorage.

      Ane Jima and Imoto Jima (Perry and Kelly islands) are the southern of the group.

      Mei Jima lies 1/2 mile northeastward of Imoto Jima, with reefs between.

      Volcano Islands, about 75 miles southward of the Ogasawara group, were discovered in 1543 by Bernard de Torres, and received their name from the volcano on the central island. There is no doubt of their being the same as the Sulphur Islands of Captain King, 1779. They were also seen by Krusenstern in 1805. The northern island is named San Alessandro; the center, Sulphur Island, and the southern, San Augustino. They are governed by the Japanese, under the Ogasawara Islands.

      San Alessandro, the northern island, is about 2,534 feet high, and when viewed from the southward appears as a conical peak. Landing may be effected on the southwestern end. The island is steep-to on its northern and eastern sides, but a depth of 40 fathoms is found 1 mile from its southern end. Soundings of varying depths were obtained on its western side, where the bottom appears to be uneven.

      Submarine volcano. — At 1.8 miles 270° from the northern end of San Alessandro a submarine volcano was observed by the U.S.S. Alert in 1880. Masses of mud and ashes were being upheaved, accompanied by dull reports and a strong odor of sulphur. Depths of 10 to 20 fathoms were found 1/2 mile southward of this reef or island in process of formation, and there was a patch of 5 fathoms 1,500 yards southeastward from it. At night flames were noticed issuing from the volcano.

      The Alert revisited the site of this volcano in May, 1881. At this time it was not in action, but the position was marked by a crescent-shaped patch of discolored water 3/4 mile in length. It was apparently the same as that seen by H.B.M.S. Edgar in 1895; there was nothing then above the water.

      Sulphur Island is about 5 miles long, and its center is in Lat. 24° 46' N., Long. 141° 19' E. It is marked by light-colored patches. The southern point of the island is a barren hill, with a flat top, 644 feet high, and when seen from the southwestward looks like a volcanic crater. A low narrow neck of land connects this hill with the northern end of the island, which is of moderate height. In the middle of the island some bushes grow, but the northeastern part is rocky and barren. Dangerous reefs extend 2 1/2 miles and 1 1/2 miles from the eastern and western sides of the island, respectively, but there is a clear passage between the island and the reef on the eastern side. About 3/4 mile from the southeastern side of Sulphur Island is a depth of 100 fathoms, lava bottom.

      San Augustino, the summit of which is in Lat. 24° 14' N., Long. 141° 28' E., is a single hill of a square form, flat at the top, about 1 mile in extent, and 3,037 feet high.

      A reef extends north-northwestward from the northern point of the island, with rocks about 10 feet high on it at 1/2 mile offshore, with discolored water extending at least 1 mile beyond the rocks. A reef extends also 1/2 mile off the western side of the island.

      In November, 1904, a rocky island, about 2 1/2 miles in circumference and 480 feet high, was reported to have appeared about 3 miles northeastward of San Augustino. The island was covered with mud and ashes to a depth of 4 or 5 inches, and had a beach of pumice stone. Along the whole length of the north coast there was a long narrow pool with boiling water and jets of steam in several places.

      In June, 1905, the island had subsided considerably, and was then only about 1/4 mile long and 10 feet high, and covered with sand and pumice.

      In June, 1906, it was reported to have totally disappeared.

      Caution. — When navigating between Formosa and the islands southward of Japan, great caution should be used, especially at night or in hazy weather, as the positions of the islands or reefs as shown on the chart are in many cases only approximate, and other dangers may exist.

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