References
- The original spelling has been retained throughout
- Hoyt's Pacific Directory Stevenson pours scorn upon the statement in that the Pacific Mail Co. had a station on the island at the time of his tale, but that there was some foundation for it is clear from this entry in the Ada's log. Stevenson appears to have been ignorant of the existence of the hut wherein the Ada's crew found shelter
- This shoal was discovered by La Pèrouse in 1786, who named it Basse des Frégates Françaises. Hence in translation the correct designation is French Frigates Shoal; Stevenson falls into the common error of employing the singular—French Frigate Shoal
- Sula The Booby (sp.) is a species of gannet, the Boatswain bird here referred to is the Red-tailed Tropic bird (Phaëton rubicauda); the Mutton-bird is a Shearwater (Puffinus sp.) while the Man-o-war hawk is the bird commonly known as the Frigate bird (Fregata aquila); it often forces boobies and other sea-fowl to disgorge their prey which it seizes before it falls into the sea