326 TEE CRUISE OF THE ' OUBAQOA.' 



them almost identically the same appearance witli the 

 Assyrian figures.' 



About noon we came in sight of JSTew Caledonia, which 

 as we advanced disclosed to us more and more distinctly 

 its east coast. The island appeared to be very mountainous, 

 and the coast at one part near tlie Havannah Passage was 

 very precipitous. The land that was visible looked very 

 barren in every direction, and in a great many places there 

 was apparently no verdure of any kind on the dark red 

 soil ; where there was any wood, it seemed confined to small 

 spots. There were a good many islands, some of them 

 covered with lofty pines, which were very thick at places, 

 jand looked almost like cypresses. There are a great many 

 reefs also about these islands. Before, coming to Havannah 

 Passage I saw a fine waterfall, which, though not precipitous, 

 was of considerable height, coming down a channel it had 

 worn for itself on the mountain side, and finally fall 

 ing over a steep cliff into the sea ; its name, I was 

 informed, is Undiania. We took the Havannah Pas- 

 sage, which is near the SE. extremity of New Caledonia, 

 between a great number of islands, reefs, &c., extending 

 from thirty to forty miles at the S. extremity of the island 

 and about two and a-half degrees at the N. end, and 

 appears indeed to encircle the island. After getting round 

 Cape Queen Charlotte, and entering Havannah Passage, 

 we soon came to Port Goro, which is the first bay on the 

 starboard side ; the sea was as smooth as a lake as soon as 

 we came among the reefs and islands of New Caledonia. 



