Phillips. — On the Volcanoes of the Pacific. 545 



Lake, which is eighteen miles in circumference, with a black- 

 sand bottom, and 400 ft. to 500 ft. above sea-level. Mota, as 

 is well known, is the headquarters of the Melanesian Mission 

 in the Banks Group. Volcanic heat is still felt on the western 

 slope of the summit of the old crater at Ureparapara ; extreme 

 height, 2,440 ft. 



The Santa Cruz Group lies to the north of the Banks 

 Group, and consists of six larger islands, namely : Vanikoro 

 (where La Perouse's crew were wrecked and massacred in 

 1788), Terai, Ndeni (Santa Cruz), Te Motu, Tmakula, Lord 

 Howe"' Island,! and the Swallow Group of smaller islands. 

 (At Nukapu, in the Swallows, Bishop Patteson was killed in 

 1871 ; and Commodore Goodenough, whom I well remember, 

 was killed at Carlisle Bay, in the Island of Santa Cruz, in 

 1875.) In both these groups — Santa Cruz and Banks — shoals 

 and little islands appear and disappear from time to time, 

 showing the wonderful volcanic agency at work. 



Tinakula, or Volcano Island (Tamami), hes twenty-seven 

 miles to the north-west of Ndeni Island, and is a volcanic 

 cone rising to the height of 2,200 ft. The lower portion is 

 covered with vegetation ; the upper part is entirely barren. 

 In 1871 H.M.S. "Eosario" observed a stream of lava flowing 

 down the north-north-west side of the cone. Flames and 

 smoke were also emitted at intervals of from ten to fifteen 

 minutes. In 1886 H.M.S. "Opal" visited Tinakula, and 

 the volcano was described as having recently been active. 



With regard to the Solomons, " Some of these islands are 

 entirely volcanic, whilst others are calcareous, but there are 

 also many in which both formations are combined. Guadal- 

 canar is volcanic (latitude 9° 45' S., longitude 160° E.), and so 

 is Saro. The volcanic character of Saro does not appear to be 

 generally known. The last eruption seems to have occurred 

 thirty-five or forty years since, when large quantities of water, 

 dust, and ashes were ejected, and several natives killed. 

 Although at the present time the volcanic forces are slumber- 

 ing the natives are always apprehensive of an outbreak. 

 Earthquakes are very frequent, and during one which occurred 

 several years ago a subsidence of part of the coast took place, 

 and vessels now anchor where there was a village. Buraku 

 (Murray Island) is a volcanic island 1,000 ft. high; uninhabited. 

 The Maroro Group (New Georgia) consists of three principal 

 and innumerable small islands. The larger islands are of 

 recent volcanic origin, and have numerous symmetrical 

 cones (latitude 8° 50' S., longitude 158° 13' E.). Rendova 



• As the Pacific becomes better known this reduplication of names 

 should be done away with ; ib is very confusing. 



t This i.'sland must not be confused with the Lord Howe Island off 

 New South Wales. 

 35 



