Log: June 24, 1868.

The CHARLES W. MORGAN was sailing on her 8th voyage under Captain George Athearn in the South Pacific. The log entry for this day states, “first part light trades steering W. S.W all sail at 4 P.M wash Decks at 6 P.M took in sail course S.W. by .W Magdalena 20 miles .W. Middle part Capt to off shore Latter part light trades at Day light made all sail steering in shore at .9 A.M Boat came from shore 10 A.M Cap Athearn went ashore after Hogs so ends off & on at Magdalena*.”

*A description of Magdalena (or Fatu Hiva) appears in the 1863 book by A.G. Findlay, A Directory for the Navigation of the South Pacific Ocean. It states, “Fatu Hiva is the southernmost of the Marquesas….It is about 8 miles long..and 4 miles broad. There is a delicious valley at the bottom of a pleasant bay, Omoa or Bonrepos Bay, before which there is an anchorage. Five miles to the north of this is a second equally pleasant valley, Hanavava, which seemed to be as well peopled. At the back of this is a high and remarkable mountain, very much peaked, 3,670 feet high. The population was estimated at 1,800.”

Current pictures of the area are good evidence for why Melville jumped ship at Nuku Hiva (an island north of Fatu Hiva) in 1842.