BY D. MAWSON. 433 



struck sharply from below. Indeed, although there seemed to 

 be quite 4 ft. of water under the keel, it was our impression that 

 the boat had been bumped on the coral. Captain Kason who, 

 at the time, was at the Residency some two miles awg,y, noting 

 the direction of swing of a hanging lamp, decided that the shock 

 must have travelled in a more or less east and west direction. 



Earthquakes of a much more alarming character are felt at 

 longer intervals. As an example, one which happened several 

 years ago, and was severely felt right through the Group, might 

 be mentioned. Accompanying this shock permanent fissures 

 were formed in the ground in certain localities, several wooden 

 buildings were demolished, iron tanks were thrown down and 

 burst, and, in the Mission premises, pianos and heavy furniture 

 were flung across the rooms. 



With regard to the- origin and direction of travel of these 

 shocks it is a lamentable fact that so little accurate knowledge 

 is obtainable."^ 



Undoubtedly most of the shocks travelling in a general N. and 

 S. direction originate from the active volcanoes; many, however, 

 result from a continuation of the cross-faulting. Those with an 

 east and west swing are most probably due to flectional move- 

 ments, originating no doubt in the deep abyss between the New 

 Hebrides and New Caledonia. 



It is sincerely to be hoped that before long numerous seismo- 

 logical stations will be distributed through the South Pacific 

 Islands, as only by analysing such data as would result, can 

 definite decisions regarding the present earth-movements in this 

 much-troubled area be arrived at. 



Summarising this section the following points deserve special 

 attention : — 



1. The extreme importance of volcanoes and materials derived 

 therefrom in the formation of the islands of the New Hebrides. 



* All available material is due to the Rev. W. Gray, and is to be found in 

 A.A.A.S. Reports. 

 23 



