The Plough Boy Journals

The Journals and Associated Documents

The Plough Boy Anthology

19th Century American Whaling

Bonin Islands

Pitcairn's Island

Dictionaries & Glossaries

Ashley's Glossary of
Whaling Terms

Dana's Dictionary of
Sea Terms

Newly Discovered Islands.

Nantucket Inquirer
November 10, 1827, p.2

      Newly Discovered Islands. — Capt. James J. Coffin, of this place, late of the British ship Transit, has politely furnished us with his private Journal, from which we gather the following facts:

      On the 12th of Sep. 1824, Capt. Coffin discovered a group of Islands not laid down on his chart. He found the group to consist of six islands, besides a number of large rocks and reefs. In honour of Messrs. Fisher, Kidd & Fisher, of Bristol, England, in whose employ Capt. Coffin sailed, he gave to the largest island, which is four leagues in length, the name of Fisher's Island; the second in size he called Kidd Island; the third, being the most southern of the group, he called South Island; and the fourth, from the abundance of pigeons found on it, he named Pigeon Island. About four miles ENE. of South Island, lie two high round Islands, to which Capt. C. gave no names. Fisher's Island lies from SSE. to NNW. and Kidd Island, the most western of the group, lies SE. from the north west part of Fishers Island. Between the last two mentioned Islands, is a beautiful clear bay, two miles wide and five miles up to the head. Capt. Coffin sailed up the bay about four miles, where he found near the Fisher's Island, a fine small bay, where he anchored his ship in fifteen fathoms of water. To this bay, Capt. C. very properly gave the name of Coffin's Harbour. This harbour is sheltered from all winds excepting from WSW. and has no current or swell. In three days Capt. C, took on board of his ship fifty tuns of water, of the purest quality, and a sufficient supply of wood, both these essential articles being very abundant, and more easily procured than at any other place, Capt. C. was ever at. Turtle and pigeons were so plentiful, that any quantity could be obtained; and Capt. C. was under the necessity of limiting the number to be daily taken, to prevent profusion and waste. The waters in the bay are stored with a variety of excellent fish and plenty of lobsters; and the cabbage tree is among the productions of the Islands, so that any desirable quantity was easily obtained. Capt. C. did not discover any quadruped, reptile, or insect, of any kind or nature, not even an ant. The islands are covered with large and beautiful forest trees, but not a single mark, even of a knife, could be traced upon one of them; nor did it appear that the footsteps of man had ever before been impressed upon any of these islands. For ships employed in the whale fishery, or bound from Canton to Port Jackson, or the North West coast of America, they will furnish a valuable place of refreshment. They are about south of Sandown point on the coast of Japan, and the distance may be sailed in four days. The bay where Capt. Coffin anchored, is in lat. 26, 30 N. long. 141 E.

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