On the 14th June, 1880, we bade adieu to the South-American 

 coast and sailed for Tahiti, spending much time on the way in 

 searching for the so-called Minerva Eeef, which was reputed to 

 exist some 60 miles to the north-east of Manga Eeva, one of the 

 Paumotu group. Arriving at Tahiti on the 6th of August, we made 

 a stay of twelve days at that interesting island, when we again got 

 under way and pursued a cirouitous route towards the great Fiji 

 .group. 



The first place at which we touched on this voyage was Nassau 

 Island, whence we proceeded to the Union group, in 80|^° S. lat., 

 passing within sight of Tema Eeef and the Danger Islands, which 

 were found to be incorrectly placed on the charts. We made a short 

 stay at Oatafu, the most westerly island of the Union group, and 

 thence proceeded to Fiji. 



. We anchored off the settlement of Levuka in the island of Ovalau, 

 Fiji, on the 18th of September, and remained there until the 10th 

 of October. We then steamed over to Tongatabu, in the Friendly 

 Islands, where we made a pleasant stay of ten days, but subse- 

 quently spent some very dull weeks, aggravated by unusually 

 boisterous weather, in an uneventful search for the La Eance Bank, 

 the non-existence of which was, however, satisfactorily demon- 

 strated. We returned to Levuka on the 4th of December, and 

 remained in harbour for ten days, when we entered upon the last 

 portion of our Pacific cruise, viz. the voyage from Fiji to Sydney. 



We arrived at Sydney on the 23rd of January, 1881, and re- 

 mained there, refitting, until the 15th of April, when we steamed 

 up the east coast of Australia to our next surveying-ground. 



During the ensuing six months we visited Port Curtis, Port 

 MoUe, and Port Denison on the east coast of Queensland ; Lizard 

 Island, Flinders Island, Clack Island, Bird Island, Percy Islands, 

 Clairemont Islands, and Albany Island, a^oining the coast ; and 

 while engaged on the survey of the Prince of Wales Channel, in 

 Torres Straits, we anchored off Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 

 Home, West, Prince of Wales, Hammond, Goode, and Booby 

 Islands. In all these localities marine specimens were collected, as 

 well as in the more open parts of^ the Prince of Wales Channel, 

 where the depth rarely exceeds 30 fathoms. A good many inter- 

 esting specimens were also obtained through the assistance of the 

 pearl-shell divers, who have an extensive and lucrative industry in 

 these waters. 



On leaving this channel we proceeded westwards through the 

 Arafura Sea, sounding and dredging, until we reached Port Darwin, 

 in North-west Australia. Here we remained fi;om the 3rd to the 

 18th of November,' when we again got under way and steamed 

 through the Eastern Archipelago to Singapore. We reached this 

 port on the 18th November, 1881, and remained there for two and 

 a half months,, spending most of the time in dock, where our 

 ship underwent an extensive refit. We now received orders to 

 undertake a survey of the Amirantes and neighbouring islands and 

 reefs in the South-Indian Ocean, using Seychelles as our base for 



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