320 Corals and Coral-islands. [Sess. 



IV.— CORALS AND CORAL-ISLANDS, WITH SPECIAL 

 REFERENCE TO THE NEW HEBRIDES GROUP. 



By the Rev. J. H. LAWEIE. 



(Read Jem. 26, 1898.) 



The New Hebrides group of islands extends to about 400 

 miles in length — lying N.KW. and S.S.E., between 21° 

 and 15° south latitude, and 171° and 166° east longitude. 

 Aneityum, the most southerly island of the group, lies about 

 1000 miles due north of New Zealand, 400 miles east of Fiji, 

 and 200 miles east of New Caledonia. The first European 

 navigator who discovered the largest and most northerly island 

 of the group in the year 1606 was Pedro Vernandes de Quiros, 

 a native of Portugal. That island is still known by the name 

 he gave it of " Espirito Santo." Quiros, elated with his 

 supposed discovery of the great southern continent, returned 

 home at once, instead of prosecuting his inquiries further. 

 In a series of most wonderful statements, he presented his 

 memoirs to King Philip III. of Spain, pleading the urgency 

 of sending out another expedition to open up the wealth of 

 the country. When we state that the island of Santo is only 

 70 miles long by 40 miles broad at its widest part, the 

 ridiculousness of Quiros's report will be apparent. " Your 

 Majesty," said he, "may be assured that the extent of these 

 countries exceeds that of Europe, Asia Minor, the Caspian 

 Sea, and Persia, together with the islands of the Mediterranean 

 and Atlantic, including England and Ireland." 



Although there are few song-birds in the country, Quiros 

 spoke of millions of birds announcing the rising sun, and of 

 gold, silver, and pearls being found in abundance. Later 

 inquiries have found pearl-shells in the sea, but neither gold 

 nor silver has been discovered on land. Quiros must have 

 had the missionary instinct, as he set up a wooden cross and 

 called the place where he anchored his ship the harbour of 

 " Vera Cruz," or the true cross. He also named a river 

 running into it the Jordan, intending to found a city to be 

 called the New Jerusalem. He met with but poor success, 



