Observing a sandbank to the north-west not mentioned in our charts, we hauled up, intending to anchor near it and ascertain its correct position. With reduced sail we neared the island; and with the leads going, look-out men at the masthead, and occasional cast of the deep-sea lead, we approached the lee side and got within cables’ length of the beach without obtaining bottom at 120 fathoms. A line of breakers with overfalls extended off the north-west end, having the appearance of a shelf of rocks, but these proved to be nothing but a tide ripple as we stood near. The island was small, and had the same appearance all round. On landing we found a patch of glaring white sand, without a vestige of vegetation, surrounded by a belt of coral about a mile and a half in circumference, and so steep that I believe we might have rubbed the sides of the _Mæander_ against it without obtaining bottom. We found on this lonely coral island the solitary grave of a Mussulman. Here was, indeed, a resting-place likely to be undisturbed. [Sidenote: Cagayan Sulu, Jan. 19.] Came to in ten fathoms, about a mile off the south side of Cagayan, and commenced our examination of the curious circular lake before mentioned. The entrance is by a gap. This, however, is crossed by a bank of coral, which at low water is nearly dry, so to exclude any boat larger than a canoe. Just outside the middle of the bar was a small island of rock and sandstone, with a sufficient shelter to make an excellent shaded spot for our picnic. On passing the bar we found ourselves inside a magnificent circular lake of deep blue water, with a circumference of about three miles, and completely encircled by sandstone cliffs, upwards of 200 feet in height and nearly perpendicular, covered with shrubs. In the natural barriers of this remarkable enclosure only two small breaks occurred--one was the gap by which we entered, the other was on the E.N.E. side. Nothing could be more luxuriant than the growth of trees and shrubs, their trunks and branches covered with a variety of beautiful orchids in brilliant blossom hanging in festoons to the water’s edge. Over our heads, disturbed by such unusual visitors, numbers of pigeons flew to and fro, while many varieties of the parrot uttered remonstrances. Formed ourselves into small parties--some to haul the seine, others in search of shells, while a third explored the gap on the north-east side, clambering up without any anticipation of a further treat. At a height of about eighty feet another beautiful but smaller lake burst in sight, circular in form, and as nearly as possible similar to that which they had left. The two lakes were separated by a natural wall; and the spectator standing on its narrow edge could, by a turn of head, look at the depth of thirty feet on the inner lake, or on the outer one, eighty feet beneath him.