Report of Midshipman May. 

 Island of Moturiki. 



FEEJEE GROUP. 



Cruise iu the Flying-Fish. 



229 



ciently wide for a vessel to beat out. This, how- 

 ever, would seldom be necessary, as there are 

 several passages through the reef to the westward, 

 which are safe with a leading wind. 



This island affords wood, water, and some provi- 

 sions, and has about seven hundred inhabitants. 



Lieutenant Carr, finding that his time was almost 

 expired, determined to proceed to Ovolau, by pass- 

 ing close to the Mothea Reef, off the southern 

 point of Nairai. On the 25th, the tender anchored 

 at Levuka. On receiving Lieutenant Carr's re- 

 port, I immediately despatched him to survey the 

 passage round the western side of Ovolau. The 

 eastern portion, together with the harbour of 

 Levuka, had already been completed by the Vin- 

 cennes. Lieutenant Carr had, in the performance 

 of this duty, reached the island of Moturiki, when 

 the time allotted for the purpose had expired. He 

 accordingly left the two boats under Lieutenant 

 Underwood, to complete the remaining part of the 

 work, which occupied them two days, during which 

 time, it appears, from Passed-Midshipman May's 

 account, they had another narrow escape from dis- 

 aster, under the following circumstances. The 

 night the boats left the tender, they imprudently 

 landed on the island of Moturiki, where they un- 

 loaded their boats, allowing the natives to help 

 them up, and then removed all the things out of 

 them up to the mbure, although there was reason 

 to apprehend, from their conduct, that mischief 

 was meditated. They deemed it necessary to have 

 sentinels posted, and all the men remained with 

 their arms by their side. The natives before ten 

 o'clock had dispersed, except ten or fifteen, who 

 were seemingly on the watch. These were dis- 

 covered passing in some clubs, which were secretly 

 laid by a log. Lieutenant Underwood then deter- 

 mined to compel them all to quit the house, which 

 they did, going out in rather a sulky manner. The 

 moment the tide floated the boats, it was thought 

 necessary to load them and shove off. They then 

 anchored, and passed the remainder of the night 

 in them. The next night, for greater safety, 

 they sought shelter from the rain and wet under 

 the rocks, which caused them much difficulty in 

 lighting their fires. This was not overcome until 

 their old native guide took the tinder, and-ascend- 

 ing a tall cocoa-nut tree to the fronds, quickly re- 

 turned with a blazing torch. Having finished the 

 survey of that part of the Moturiki Passage as- 

 signed them, they returned to the ship at Levuka. 



The island of Moturiki is almost in contact with 

 that of Ovolau to the south of it. The same reef 

 extends around both of them, and there is no 

 passage between them, except for boats and canoes. 

 A large square castellated rock lies midway 

 between them, called Laudolib, of which there is a 

 tradition, that Ndengei was bringing it to block up 

 the big passage of Moturiki, which, according to 

 the natives, leads to his dominions, but being 

 overtaken by daylight, he dropped it where it now 

 lies. 



Moturiki is three miles long, and one broad ; it 

 is not so much broken as Ovolau, though it rises in 

 its centre, forming a high ridge. There are two 

 small islands, named Leluvia and Thangala, to the 

 south of it, and between these and Moturiki is the 

 entrance to the bay of Amban, termed the Mo- 

 turiki Passage : this is about two miles long, and is 

 a mile in width towards its eastern end ; the tide 



flows strongly through it, and the flood sets to the 

 westward. 



The tender having returned to Ovolau, I made 

 preparations to leave that place. 



Not being able to spare the services of Lieute- 

 nant Carr as first lieutenant, I transferred him to 

 the Vincennes, and ordered Lieutenant Case to the 

 tender. Lieutenant Carr was put in charge of the 

 observatory, while Lieutenant Alden in the launch, 

 and Mr. Knox in the first cutter, were relieved by 

 Lieutenant Perry and Mr. De Haven. Both boats 

 received new crews, and proceeded to survey the 

 reefs by Passage Island, and thence to Vanua-levu. 

 I embarked in the tender on the 3rd of June, and 

 by night anchored off Mbua or Sandalwood Bay, 

 where I had appointed to meet the Peacock. We 

 burnt blue-lights and sent off rockets, but received 

 no answer, and in the morning found the ship had 

 not arrived. 



Levuka was reached at 2 A.M.; here I found 

 H.B.M. schooner Starling, Lieutenant Kellet, con- 

 sort of the Sulphur, Captain Belcher, on a similar 

 duty with ourselves. Lieutenant Kellet informed 

 me that the Sulphur, in going into Rewa, had 

 struck on some coral lumps in the north passage, 

 and lost her rudder; and the object of Lieutenant 

 Kellet's visit was to obtain aid, or new pintles for 

 that ship. As those of the Vincennes were thought 

 to be too large, I at once ordered a boat to be 

 manned, and sent under charge of Lieutenant Un- 

 derwood to Mbua Bay (seventy miles), to the Pea- 

 cock, for the purpose of obtaining those belonging 

 to that ship. It afforded me great pleasure to be 

 of service to any of Her Majesty's ships, and know- 

 ing how important it was to have prompt and effi- 

 cient aid, there was no delay. I had the pleasure 

 of a few hours' conversation with Lieutenant 

 Kellet, but as my appointment with the Porpoise 

 rendered it necessary that I should meet her at the 

 town of Somu-somu, on the island of Vuna, I was 

 soon obliged to leave Levuka for the eastern part 

 of the group. In the mean time, I obtained my re- 

 turn meridian distances and the night observations. 



Before I left Levuka, Seru, Tanoa's eldest son, 

 paid us another visit, and brought some hogs and 

 other provisions, as a present. On this occasion, 

 his conduct towards Mr. Vanderford was not what 

 it should have been, for he appropriated some of 

 that officer's property to himself. I regret I did 

 not learn this until some time afterwards, for I had 

 no opportunity of speaking to Seru again; but I 

 sent him word that his conduct was not approved 

 of, and he must not take such a liberty again. 



Orders were left with Lieutenant Carr to de- 

 spatch Lieutenant Underwood and Passed-Mid- 

 shipman Sandford, with two boats, to survey the 

 islands of Ambatiki, Nairai, and Angau, all of 

 which are in sight from Ovolau. 



At five o'clock the next morning we were under 

 way, in the tender, with two boats of the Vincennes 

 in company, and crossed over to Wakaia, where I 

 left Passed-Midshipmen Knox and May to survey 

 that island and Mokungai, with their reefs. Here I 

 fixed a station, and observed, with the theodolite, 

 on the distant signals. I then made an endeavour 

 to get out of the reef, but the weather looking bad, 

 I put back and anchored in a snug bay, which I 

 had called Flying-Fish Harbour. This is on the 

 west side of the island of Wakaia, and has two pas- 

 sages through the reef to it. 



