Byers island

28°32′N 177°04′E / 28.53°N 177.07°E / 28.53; 177.07

Benjamin Morrell writes that he landed on an island he called Byers Island, on 12th July 1825. According to Morrell, this island was at a position of 28 degrees 32 minutes North, and 177 degrees 4 seconds East. He writes about this, in his book A narrative of four voyages.^[1]

This island is a phantom island, and does not exist. Just before, he visited Pearl and Hermes Reef, and gives exact positions for the reef. It can therefore be excluded, that he landed on Kure, and gave a wrong position for it.

Byers is the name of the owner of the ship, and one of Morrell's employers.This is another hint that Morrell may be the source of the hoax.^[2] According to Burton R. Pollin, Morrells ghostwriter was the magazine editor and playwright Samuel Woodworth.^[3]

So even though Morrell may not be the source of this and other false items in his work, he certainly knew about them. He knew about the "rectified" content of his book.

Morrell sacrificed his scientific reputation in order to be able to increase the sales of his book.

The official maritime manual of 1899 already lists Byer island and Morrell Island as doubtful.^[4]

Despite this, globes of 1960s still show the islands, along four other phantom islands, northwest of Kure.

Reference works

Henry M. Stommel: Lost Islands. The Story of Islands That Have Vanished from Nautical Charts. University of British Columbia Press, Vancouver 1984, ISBN 978-0-7748-0210-9 .

References

↑ Benjamin Morrell: A narrative of four voyages, to the South Sea, North and South Pacific Ocean, Chinese Sea, Ethiopic and Southern Atlantic Ocean, Indian and Antarctic Ocean, from the year 1822 to 1831. New York 1832, S. 218 (englisch) (Benjamin Morrell: A narrative of four voyages. New York 1832 at Google Books)
↑ Henry M. Stommel: Lost islands. Vancouver 1984, S. 17–19 (englisch)
↑ Burton R. Pollin: Poe’s life reflected through the sources of ‘Pym’. In: Richard Kopley (Hrsg.): Poe’s ‘Pym’: critical explorations. Durham & London 1992, S. 95–103, hier S. 100 (englisch)
↑ The Hawaiian Islands and the Islands, Rocks and Shoals to the Westward. Hydrographic Office, Washington 1899, S. 53, Byers island is available for free download at the Internet Archive

[1] Benjamin Morrell: A narrative of four voyages, to the South Sea, North and South Pacific Ocean, Chinese Sea, Ethiopic and Southern Atlantic Ocean, Indian and Antarctic Ocean, from the year 1822 to 1831. New York 1832, S. 218 (englisch) (Benjamin Morrell: A narrative of four voyages. New York 1832 at Google Books)

[2] Henry M. Stommel: Lost islands. Vancouver 1984, S. 17–19 (englisch)

[3] Burton R. Pollin: Poe’s life reflected through the sources of ‘Pym’. In: Richard Kopley (Hrsg.): Poe’s ‘Pym’: critical explorations. Durham & London 1992, S. 95–103, hier S. 100 (englisch)

[4] The Hawaiian Islands and the Islands, Rocks and Shoals to the Westward. Hydrographic Office, Washington 1899, S. 53, Byers island is available for free download at the Internet Archive

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