Islands visited by the Porpoise. 



FEEJEE GROUP. 



Ascent of the highest peak in the 

 island of Munia. 



235 



diameter, and a shore-reef extends around it, with 

 no opening but for canoes. Some of its points are 

 three hundred feet high. It is in places thickly 

 wooded, and has about three hundred inhabitants. 

 There is a small reef to the south-west, with a 

 passage between it and the island. The soil is 

 rich, and every thing is produced in abundance. 

 Extensive cocoa-nut groves clothe its low points. 



Mango is another small island, eighteen miles to 

 the north-north-east of Chichia. It is remarkable 

 for an open space near its centre, which appears 

 as if it had been artificially cleared. It is sur- 

 rounded by a reef, which has a break on the north- 

 west side, but affords no protection for vessels. 

 The southern part of the reef extends off about 

 a mile, and has two small islets in it. It affords no 

 shelter, and there is no water except from wells. 

 Its shape is an oval, whose longest diameter is 

 three miles, and its shortest two. There is a 

 distinct reef, which lies north-west-by-north, four 

 miles from it. 



Vekai, Katafanga, and the reef of Malevuvn, 

 all three lying north of Tabutha, were next ex- 

 amined. 



Vekai is six miles from Tabutha. It is a low 

 islet, with an extensive reef lying on its north- 

 west side, and is resorted to during the turtle 

 season. 



Katafanga is also a small isle, inhabited only during 

 the turtle season. Its reef is much more extensive, 

 being four and a half miles from east to west, and 

 has a small opening, which would admit a vessel 

 drawing ten feet of water, were it not impeded by 

 some dangerous coral knolls. There are huts on 

 its north-east point ; and abundance of sugar-cane, 

 fruit, and vegetables, may be procured. Both the 

 last-named islands are volcanic, and specimens of 

 lava were obtained from them. The latter island 

 is one hundred and fifty feet in height. 



The reef of Malevuvu is two and a half miles 

 long, and is awash, with the sea breaking over it. 

 It is seven miles north-by-east from Katafanga. 

 Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold having under- 

 stood from Tubou that the reef around Munia 

 enclosed, besides that island, six others, and that 

 there was a wide and safe passage through the 

 reef, determined, on coming up with it, to enter, 

 which he did on its south-east side. The islands, 

 seven in number, were all of considerable size : 

 Vanua-valavo, the largest of them, proved to be of 

 a serpentine shape, and fourteen miles in length ; 

 each island had its separate reef around its shore, 

 and the whole were enclosed by a very extensive 

 reef, somewhat of the shape of a triangle, whose 

 sides are twenty-four miles in length. The large 

 island is in no place more than two miles wide; 

 it is situated along the western side of the triangle, 

 and contains many fine bays and safe anchorages. 

 The other islands are called Munia, Susui, Malatta, 

 Ticnmbia, and Osubu. Lieutenant-Commandant 

 Ringgold gave to the cluster the name of the Ex- 

 ploring Isles. 



Boats were dropped to survey the entrance, 

 whilst the brig proceeded to her first anchorage 

 under the island of Munia, to which the name of 

 Discovery Harbour was given. This anchorage 

 was a good one, in eight and a half fathoms water, 

 with fine sandy bottom. 



The chief of this island had but one eye. He 

 appeared somewhat under the influence of fear, 



but made some presents of bananas and cocoa-nuts, 

 and complained much of his poverty. 



The next day the boats were prepared for sur- 

 veying. The launch and another boat, under 

 Lieutenants Johnson and Maury, were sent to cir- 

 cumnavigate the large island. Parties were also 

 despatched to get wood and water. Mr. Totten 

 and Dr. Holmes ascended the highest peak of 

 Munia, called Telanicolo, the measurement of 

 which, by sympiesometer, gave one thousand and 

 fifty- four feet above the level of the sea. This peak 

 is composed of volcanic masses, with high, craggy, 

 and overhanging cliffs. The ascent proved diffi- 

 cult, for the path passed over steep hills and along 

 the edges of the rocks, and it -was in places so 

 narrow that only one person could pass at a time. 

 A few men might defend the ascent against an 

 army. Upon the summit they found the ruins of a 

 small village; some of the huts were, however, kept 

 in repair, as refuge in times of danger. The view 

 from the top they describe as beautiful, many of the 

 other islands being in sight. The natives who ac- 

 companied them, to carry the instruments, &c., 

 behaved well, and were amply rewarded. All the 

 natives yet seen by the Porpoise were exceedingly 

 fond of tobacco, a very small piece of which is an 

 ample reward for a long service. Some thefts were 

 committed from the boats by the natives who as- 

 sisted in bringing the water, but on speaking to the 

 chief they were quickly returned. He at the same 

 time pointed out the thieves, and requested they 

 might be killed. 



The island of Munia contains about eighty inha- 

 bitants, and the settlement is on the western side, 

 where water may be obtained in small quantities. 



Ticumbia lies five miles to the north-east of 

 Munia. It bears a close resemblance to Munia, 

 but is much smaller; the inhabitants are about 

 seventy in number. This island affords but little 

 water. 



Susui lies next to Vanua-valavo, and between it 

 and Munia. It is divided into three parts, of 

 which the easternmost is low, and covered with 

 thick shrubbery and groves of cocoa-nuts ; the 

 western portion rises in broken basaltic peaks, 

 several hundred feet high, and is thickly wooded. 

 On this island are several villages, and the number 

 of inhabitants is one hundred and fifty. The ground 

 is much better cultivated than is usual, the patches 

 of taro and yams being kept remarkably neat. 

 Good water may be obtained on the north-west 

 side, running from the cliff. On the north-west 

 side, Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold discovered 

 a beautiful harbour, secure from all winds, whence 

 an extensive valley runs back, thickly covered 

 with bananas, cocoa-nuts, &c., with a small stream 

 running through it. 



Malatta is the next island. It lies near Susui, 

 and is of smaller size than it. It is divided from 

 Vanua-valavo by a narrow passage. The southern 

 part of the latter island is called Lomo-lomo; its 

 northern is called Ava; it has a good harbour on 

 its east side, opposite Susui, protected by a small 

 islet. On the west side of the island are two open- 

 ings in the reef, a spacious harbour, and large 

 stream of water. The population of Vanua-valavo 

 is five hundred. There is a large village at the 

 head of the bay, 



A*via is a small island to the north-east of Vanua- 

 valavo. It has a few natives residing upon it. 



