46 PROFESSOR T. W. EDGE WORTH DAVID. 



5 feet 4 inches, above high water spring tide ; 7 feet (about) sand, largely 

 foraminiferal ; 2 feet pebbly sand passing downwards into shingle ; 1 6 feet very 

 cavernous Heliopora ccendea reef-rock with the spaces between the branches partly 

 filled with a growth of LWwthamnioii and Polytrema, and loose running sand. We 

 subsequently dismantled this small drill and converted the staging into a raft, to the 

 corners of which we lashed empty iron tanks in order to increase its buoyancy. Our 

 intention was to put a bore down by means of this raft in the deepest part of the 

 lagoon. On August 6th, all being in readiness, \yq towed the boring raft out into 

 the lagoon, using the derrick as a mast to which we attached a tarpaulin for sail. 

 Unfortunately for us, before we had reached tlie centre of the lagoon, a gale sprang 

 up from the S.S.E. The short waves broke heavily and in quick succession over our 

 raft and the 3-inch ropes lashing our tanks became rapidly fra^^ed through. The 

 wind and current were so strong that we were unable to make the shoal of Te 

 Akau Tuluaga, and were drifted rapidly past it towards the north-west passage of the 

 reef, thus running some danger of being blown out to sea. As we were preparing to 

 let go our improvised anchors one of the tanks broke adrift, but Avas rapidly relashed by 

 the late native magistrate, Opetaia, and his men. As soon, however, as the anchors 

 held, the raft was swept so strongly by the seas that it w^as almost im})ossible for 

 anytliing to live on its deck. Under these circumstances it seemed that the best 

 tiling was to try and save the tanks, which were constantly breaking adrift througli 

 the snapping of the frayed ropes, leave the raft at anchor, and return when the 

 weather had moderated. The heavy seas had sprung the wooden lids of the tanks, 

 and as they were mostly nearly fidl of water we let three of them down to the bottom 

 of the lagoon in abo\it 12 fathoms, securing tliem by ropes to the raft. Meanwhile 

 just as the last taidc was made fast the raft heeled over, and eventually floated bottom 

 uppermost. After a tougli pull we safely weathered the north-west passage, and 

 returned to camp, in a somewhat exhausted condition, before midnight. 



The gale continued for two days longer, and then as the weather slightly moderated 

 we attempted further salvage operations, hoping to get the raft righted and start 

 the lagoon boring. Mr. W. G. Woolnough rendered splendid service at this part of 

 the work in diving under the raft with the natives and seeing to the unscrewing of 

 the bolts of the submerged iron winch. The recovery of this and of the pulleys, the 

 latter in about 1 5 feet of water, was a good piece of work in view of the choppy state 

 of the sea. As, however, the raft had dragged its anchors during the gale, the ropes 

 fastening the tanks were found to be broken, and as its buoyancy was insufficient for 



ill iUiy bore locuted near the ocean face of the reef, and accordingly we had taken two 2:)o\verful jetting 

 under-reamers (piovided hy Mr. W. H. J. Slee) with the main diamond drill. One of these would have 

 just fitted our bore-hole, but we thought the risk of using it in view of its being absolutely indispensable 

 to the success of the main diamond-drill bore was too great. At the same time it must be said that we 

 were not prepared to find the silting as heavy as it proved to be, at such a distance from the ocean face of 

 the reef as that at whirh we started our small bore, viz.., 360. y;ards. . . 



