146 THE POLYNESIAN WANDERINGS. 



lous in position as at first sight it might appear. While Vanua 

 Lava-Mota-Arag identify one point of migration entrance into the 

 archipelago, it is quite probable that Marina- Arag identify another 

 entrance for fleets sailing a little to leeward when making this 

 landfall. 



We next examine the northern area. Its curve of ioo is beauti- 

 fully established along a great length ; from southeast to northwest 

 we note Anuda, Ticopia, Matema, Sikayana, Liueniua, Nukumanu, 

 Tauu and Nuguria, all Polynesian communities, all the most weath- 

 erly islands of the Santa Cruz Group, of the Solomons, and of New 

 Ireland respectively. At the other limit the curve of 60 may dis- 

 tinctly be traced along the leeward faces of the Solomons and of 

 the Santa Cruz Group. Between these two well-marked contours 

 the curves of 70 and 80 are very distinct in the Solomons and in 

 the strait between New Britain and New Ireland. Along the range 

 of the Solomons the migration track is plainly drawn along the 

 weather coast or in the easy channel from southern Ysabel toUlawa. 



We may now examine the points at which the migration streams 

 which establish these two areas come into closest approximation. 

 These points are two, the interval between Deni and the Torres 

 Islands, and the interval between Moiki-Rennel and the southern 

 Solomons. Here, if anywhere, the two streams came their nearest 

 to a chance of mingling. 



In this examination we must bear in mind a few clearly estab- 

 lished facts. These voyages were performed without chart or com- 

 pass. The leaders knew nothing of what land might lie before them. 

 Their only norm of direction was set by the constancy of the trade 

 wind and their only method of conforming to that norm was by 

 sailing closehauled, to which they had the added inducement of 

 seamanship in that this was the best sailing point of their canoes. 

 To deviate from that course where no landfall had been made and 

 where there was no knowledge that land might exist would be to 

 relinquish a purposeful voyage for merely idle cruising. 



In the case of the gap south of Deni intermingling could have 

 taken place only from the north toward the south. It is incon- 

 ceivable that a fleet having made the most northerly landfall of the 

 New Hebrides, whether at Lo or at Vanua Lava, should leave the 

 new lands already in sight to beat dead to windward where no 

 land was known to exist. Similarly there could be no reason for 

 vessels taking their departure from the Santa Cruz group to leave 

 the one course which they knew, to set out toward the south which 

 was a direction they had no means of determining, and to run free 

 upon their least convenient and most dangerous point of sailing. 

 At the other point of approximation we should note that Moiki 

 and Rennel are invisible from the nearest islands, Guadalcanar and 



