646 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION G. 



N.N.E, from the crater) Ave find the same kind of thing. 

 On the south of Erronianga, an island separated from the 

 north end of Tanna hy a strait fully 20 miles wide, six or 

 seven coral terraces may be counted, probably marking 

 successive elevations. These terraces are found about 800 

 feet above sea level on the south end of Erromanga. The 

 Aniwans have a tradition that Aniwa was connected with the 

 south end of Tanna, and there are traditions of a volcano, 

 probably a mud volcano, on Aniwa. At Port Resohition, so 

 named by Capt. Cook, the harbour has been completely 

 destroyed by successive upheavals on the side next the crater, 

 which is about five miles distant. 



With regard to the crater, now about 1100 or 1200 feet 

 high, I need say little. The " lake of fire ' seen by the party 

 that visited the crater on June 27th (1890) Avith Professor 

 Drummond, had entirely disappeared when I visited the 

 crater again on August 8th following. On July 26th there 

 was a severe earthquake shock felt throughout the whole 

 group (and perhaps a day or two earlier throughout the 

 Australian colonies). On August 7th, the day before my 

 visit, there was also a severe shock. When I visited the 

 crater next day, I found that the ledge of ground on Avhich 

 Professor Drummond's party stood to be photographed, and 

 where the professor narrowly escaped a blow from an ejected 

 lump of lava, had fallen right into the crater and had filled 

 up the " lake of fire." But the pent-up fire had forced its 

 way through thousands of tons of stuff and made an active 

 vent. The remaining portion of the ledge showed a suspicious 

 looking rent, making it apparent that another landslip would 

 soon occur. 



The inhabitants of Tanna present a type of feature that 

 is distinctly Tannese, but difficult to analyse. Men in their 

 state of nature wear no clothing. All males are circumcised 

 between the age of five and eight. After that ceremony a 

 belt is worn. Part of the ceremony of circumcision consists 

 in teaching the lad how to use his belt. Any string or rattan 

 will do for a belt, but the belt proper is made from the bark 

 of trees and is sometimes ornamented. Males as well as 

 females w^ear earrings and beads and other ornaments 

 suspended round the neck. Jade is highly prized for this 

 purpose. Youths and men divide the hair of the head, which 

 is generally crisp and curly, into locks about the size of a 

 number 14 Avire nail (or an ordinary bodkin). These are 

 served with thin bands of the inner burli of a root much as 



