228 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 



New Hebrides groups. The large island of the Admiralty group is distant from New Hanover, the 

 nearest large island of the chain, about 130 miles, and from the nearest point of New Guinea about 

 150 miles. A series of groups of small islands form connecting links between the Admiralty group 

 and New Guinea ; and a number of the smaller islands of the Admiralty group lie between the large 

 island and New Hanover. The centre of the large or main island is placed by D'Entrecasteaux in 

 lat. 2° 18' S. and long. 146° 44' E. The island, which is oblong in form, is about fifty miles in 

 extreme length, and sixteen in extreme breadth. It has, together with its immediately adjacent 

 islets, an area of about 550 square miles. The main island is mostly of small elevation, but 

 contains mountain-masses rising to a height of about 1600 feet, which were visible to the eastward 

 of the anchorage of the Challenger in Nares Anchorage. The examination of the islands made by 

 us was confined to the extreme north-western portion of the northern coast of the main island, in 

 the neighbourhood of Nares Bay, and to the numerous small outlying islands which, lying just off 

 the coast, shelter that anchorage. 



" The land-surface in the vicinity of Nares Bay consists of a series of low irregular ridges rising 

 one above another, with wide flat expanses at the heads of bays on the coast, which are scarcely or 

 not at all raised above sea-level, and thus are in a swampy condition. The mountains appear from 

 their form to be volcanic ; and it is probable that the obsidian used by the natives for their spear- 

 heads is procured in them. A trachytic lava was found to compose one of the outlying islands ; 

 and a similar rock was observed on the mainland where it commenced to rise. A platform of 

 coral-sand rock forms the coast-line of the main island in many places ; and a similar rock is the 

 only component of most of the small outlying islands. 



" From the position of the Admiralty Islands with regard to the equator, their climate is 

 necessarily an extremely damp one. A great deal of exceedingly heavy rain fell during the stay of 

 the Challenger. Rain fell on five days of the seven during which we were at Nares Anchorage, the 

 total fall being LG6 inches. The temperature of the air ranged between 8G° and 75'5° F., the mean 

 of maximum and minimum observations being about 80° F. ; and the air was loaded with moisture. 

 Dense clouds of watery vapour hung about the forest-clad ranges, keeping the mountains most 

 frequently concealed ; and in the evenings clouds of mist hung about the lower land, looking like 

 smoke rising from between the densely packed trees. In a bay some miles to the eastward of the 

 anchorage of the Challenger, the mouth of a small river, apparently the outlet of the drainage of 

 the mountains on this side, was found, and also a very small brook ; but running water was not 

 elsewhere observed, and the rain probably drains to a large extent into the swamps. 



" The main island, as viewed from seawards, is seen to be densely wooded everywhere. Along 

 the summits of the ridges cocoa-nut palms show out against the sky, accompanied by areca palms, 

 as can be made out on a nearer view. The general dark-green mass of vegetation on the hill-sides 

 is festooned with creepers, and shows a peculiar horizontal banding of somewhat lighter green, due 

 to the presence in abundance of a leguminous tree (Acacia ?), which has its branches and leaves spread 

 in a succession of horizontal layers, contrasting strongly with the general mass of more vertically 

 directed foliage. A closely similar appearance strikes the eye at first sight on viewing the 

 vegetation of the Banda Islands. The tree producing the effect is probably the same in both cases. 

 Unfortunately, of this, as of all the other high trees, no specimens were procured. 



"The smaller outlying islands, dotted about in front of the' main island, are all thickly wooded. 

 The inhabited ones are distinguished at once by the large number of cocoa-nut trees growing upon 

 them, and forming the main feature of their vegetation. 



