fi46 Transactions. — Geology. 



Island is volcanic, rising 2,500 ft. In Vella Island many of 

 the peaks contain dormant volcanoes. Narovo Island is about 

 four miles long. With the exception of the adjacent Islet 

 of Simlo, and the narrow neck, which are of upraised coral, the 

 whole of this island is of volcanic formation, signs of activity 

 being at present confined to the southern portion, which con- 

 tains the more elevated land, and Middle Hill and South Hill, 

 rising to a height of 1,000 ft. and 1,100 ft. respectively. On 

 the south-west coast, at the foot of the north slope of the 

 crater (South Hill), there is a salt-water lagoon which com- 

 municates with the sea on its north side. On the south shore 

 of this lagoon is a boiling spring, and in the vicinity the water 

 is hot for about 30 yards from the shore. The lagoon is 

 frequented by crocodiles ; proving its former connection with 

 New Guinea, and perhaps Australia. 



Fauro Island is volcanic, rising 1,925 ft. Bougainville, the 

 largest of the Solomon Islands, is about 110 miles long and 

 thirty broad. The southern part of this island is very moun- 

 tainous, the summits ranging from 4,000 ft. to 10,000 ft. 

 Amongst these are several volcanic cones, but only one — 

 Bagona, in the centre of the island — is at present in a state 

 of active eruption. This volcano forms a conspicuous object 

 for passing vessels, being visible for more than fifty miles. 

 At the back of Empress Augusta Bay, on the west side of the 

 island, a volcano has been seen in full activity. 



Of the isolated islands near the Solomons, as I have before 

 remarked, the British barque " Pacific Slope " reported having 

 experienced a shock caused by volcanic eruption in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Lord Howe Islands on the 3rd March, 1878, and 

 to have been set 110 miles south-south-east by an unusual 

 current. A great quantity of pumice-stone was afterwards 

 found floating around the ship. 



With regard to New Britain, from a report contributed by 

 the Eev. William Fletcher to the Fiji Times of January, 1876 

 (which I find in my scrap-book), of the manner in which the 

 Wesleyan Mission was opened in the Duke of York, New 

 Britain, and New Ireland groups of islands, in the schooner 

 " Wesley," by the Eev. G. Brown and himself, during July 

 and August of the previous year, I make the following 

 extracts : " The islets about Duke of York Island are formed 

 by coral upheaval. There are two lofty volcanic peaks (the 

 Mother and Two Daughters) in New Britain (longitude 152° E.). 

 Simpson Bay (New Britain) is a noble harbour, but the whole 

 aspect of the hills surrounding it suggests terrible volcanic 

 agency. As to these peaks — the Mother, 2,470ft. high; the 

 Northern Daughter, 1,866ft. ; and Southern Daughter, 1,727 ft. 

 — the top of the last is a large bare crater, its volcanic fires 

 so lately extinguished that vegetation has not had time to 



