238 



Return of Lieutenant Underwood 

 Islands surveyed by Mr. Knox. 



FEEJEE GROUP. 



Reef of Angau. 



The Vincennes leaves Levuka. 



Reef, from the loss of the brig of that. name in 

 1809. On that occasion a large amount of dollars 

 fell into the hands of the natives, who fished them 

 up from the water. They were afterwards traded 

 off to the whites, some of whom told me they yet 

 occasionally saw a native wearing one as a kind of 

 medal ; but none fell under our notice. This ac- 

 cident brought the notorious rascal Charley Savage 

 among them. 



They now steered for the north-east point of 

 Angau, whence the reef extends off one mile and 

 a half, and has no deep water inside of it. It was, 

 therefore, difficult to find a place where they could 

 anchor the boats, but at last they found anchorage 

 off the town of Vione, which is concealed from 

 view by the mangrove bushes that line the shores 

 of this island for several miles. Angau is much 

 larger and higher than either Ambatiki or 

 Nairai. 



The reef continues round the east side, close to the 

 island. There are several openings in it, but none 

 that offer a fit place for a vessel to anchor. As the 

 south side is approached, the reef extends off seve- 

 ral miles, and the water upon it is so shoal that 

 even the boats were forced to keep on the outside, 

 and, for want of an opening, were obliged to anchor 

 without the reef. In the morning they crossed the 

 reef at high water, and soon got into deep water. 

 The survey of the southern side proved there was 

 safe anchorage, the holding-ground being good in 

 twenty fathoms water in the bay, and opposite the 

 town of Lakemba ; but during a southerly blow, a 

 vessel would be much exposed to the wind and sea. 

 There are several openings and clear passages 

 through the reef on the north-west side, and clear 

 water round to the south, but the bights to the 

 north are full of coral patches. 



Having completed the surveys, agreeably to his 

 instructions, Lieutenant Underwood returned by 

 the way of Ambatiki, and reached Levuka after an 

 absence of nine days. The men had been at their 

 oars pulling almost constantly for the period of 

 eight days, sleeping in the boats, and seldom 

 allowed to land. 



Mr. Knox and Colvocoresis were sent with the 

 tender to complete the surveys of Wakaia, Mo- 

 kungai, and Mekundranga. All three contain few 

 inhabitants, and have been the scene of the horrid 

 tragedies often committed by the stronger on the 

 weak tribes of this group. There is a remarkable 

 shelf formed near the centre of the island of 

 Wakaia, which goes by the name of the Chief's or 

 Chieftain's Leap. Near this there is now a small 

 town. 



Mokungai fell under the displeasure of the Am- 

 bau chiefs, and the whole population was extermi- 

 nated after a bloody battle on the beach of its little 

 harbour. Some of the whites witnessed this trans- 

 action, and bear testimony to the bloody scene, and 

 the cannibal feasting for days after, even on those 

 bodies that were far gone to decay. They are both, 

 as I have before said, under the rule of the chief of 

 Levuka. 



Wakaia now contains only about thirty inha- 

 bitants, whilst Mokungai has only one or two fami- 

 lies. 



These islands are in sight from Ovolau, from 

 which they are separated by a strait of ten miles in 

 width. Although several miles apart, they are 

 situated within the same reef. There are several 



openings leading through the reef near Wakaia, 

 on its eastern side, but they cannot be recom- 

 mended except for small vessels. I passed through 

 one of them, but found it much blocked up with 

 coral knolls. The entrance on the south-west side, 

 leading to Flying-Fish Harbour, is quite narrow. 

 On the west side of Mokungai there is also a small 

 harbour, formed partly by reefs and partly by the 

 little island of Mekundranga. 



Finding, on examination, that there was a reef 

 that had not been surveyed, orders were sent for 

 the tender to return to Levuka, which she did on 

 the following day, and on the next I sent her, 

 with Lieutenant Underwood, to examine the reef 

 off Angau. This reef is called Mumbolithe, and is 

 situated fourteen miles to the south of Lobo Hill, 

 the south-east point of Angau; it is oval in shape, 

 and three-fourths of a mile in length ; the sea breaks 

 on it at all times. 



In returning from this service, when off Nairai, 

 they had a narrow escape from shipwreck, being 

 nearly on the reef, in a dark night, before it was 

 discovered. Any other vessel of the squadron but 

 the Flying-Fish would probably have been lost; 

 but her admirable qualities were well proved in 

 the exploration of this dangerous and unknown 

 group. 



On the 27th, the instruments were all embarked, 

 and the return of the tender enabled me to put to 

 sea in the Vincennes on the 28th of June. Intend- 

 ing to visit the hot springs of Savu-savu on Vanua- 

 levu, we left Levuka in the morning, and stood over 

 towards the end of the Wakaia Reef, with the view 

 of passing round it. It being Sunday, the Rev. Mr. 

 Hunt, who was a passenger on board with me, vo- 

 lunteered to officiate for us, which was gladly ac- 

 cepted. After service, I found the wind would not 

 permit my weathering the point of the reef ; so I 

 bore up to pass through the Mokungai Passage, 

 with a strong breeze. After getting through 

 (which we had some difficulty in doing, in conse- 

 quence of the strong ebb tide setting to the south- 

 ward and westward), I stood on towards Direction 

 or Nemena Island, intending, as the wind was be- 

 coming light, to enter through the narrow pas- 

 sage in the reef, and anchor under it, rather than 

 remain surrounded by reefs during the night. 



The next day completed my observations, and 

 finished the survey of Nemena, or Direction Isle. 

 In the afternoon we got under way, and stood over 

 to the northward for Savu-savu on the island of 

 Vanua-levu. The wind was quite light when we 

 passed out of the reef, on the opposite side to that 

 where we had entered it. I had previously sent 

 two boats to examine the passage, and anchor in 

 the deepest water. We approached the passage 

 with a light air, having all sail set, but had very 

 little headway. The water was perfectly clear, and 

 the rocks, and fish, with the bottom and keel of the 

 ship, were plainly visible. When we got in the 

 passage, the officer in the boat told me that the 

 keel looked as if it was in contact with the coral ; 

 the lead, however, gave three fathoms, one and a 

 half feet to spare. It was a little exciting for 

 twenty minutes, but we did not touch. If we had, 

 the ship, in all probability, would have been a wreck ; 

 for as the tide was fall ing, she would have hung on 

 the coral shelf, and been but partly supported by 

 it. This is the great danger attendant on the na- 

 vigation of this group, as indeed of all coral islands. 



