CHAPTEE XII 



THE SOLOMONS, SANTA CRUZ, NEW HEBRIDES, AND NEW 

 CALEDONIA 



1. The Solomon Islands. 



The Solomon group consists of a double row of islands ex- 

 tending south-eastward from the Bismarck Archipelago for ' 

 a distance of about 700 miles. It comprises seven chief 

 islands, all of which are, roughly speaking, of much the 

 same size and shape. In the north-eastern row are 

 Bougainville, Choiseul, Ysabel, and Malaita ; and in the 

 south - western New Georgia, Guadalcanar, and San 

 Cristobal. The three first-named are within the sphere 

 of German influence, the remainder were annexed by the 

 British in 1893. The islands are volcanic and moun- 

 tainous, the mountains being arranged more or less in 

 conformity with the axis of the group. 



Bougainville, the most northerly of the group, is the 

 largest, being nearly 140 miles long and 35 broad. It 

 contains also the highest mountain. Mount Balbi (10,170 

 feet), and two volcanoes in a state of constant activity. 

 Guadalcanar is scarcely less mountainous, though of 

 inferior height. Mount Lammas, the highest pomt, not 

 exceeding 8000 feet. Savo, a small island lying between 

 it and Ysabel, has a dormant crater, but the volcanoes of 



