Tana. 97 
the earth, would sink slowly downward, like a fiery snow-storm, 
getting less and less brilliant as they fell. 
This volcano is a splendid lighthouse ; there is no mistaking 
it: the noise of its eruptions is heard distinctly upon Aneityum, 
‘and in some weather the concussion produced will shake the 
windows there, though it is fully forty miles away. 
Next morning we anchored in Port Resolution. It is a cir- 
cular bay, opening out towards the north-east by rather a nar- 
row passage, and possesses good anchorage at ten fathoms and 
less. The scenery round it is perfectly lovely. I feel that 
were I to commence to rave about it I might never stop, so 
that it will be wisest not to commence. I will merely 
refer all who wish to know the nature of the scenery to the 
lithograph of this place, taken from the vessel when just off 
the mouth of the harbour. (See Litho. opposite Page 32.) Tana 
is the largest and richest island we had up to that time visited. 
It is about thirty miles long and ten miles broad. There are 
mountains in the southern and northern parts of the island, 
those in the south rising up in lofty wood-covered peaks to a 
height of say 3500 feet, while those in the north are not so 
high, are rounded on the top, and are comparatively bare of 
vegetation. 
The population of this island is said to be now 8000. The 
natives have the character of being ferocious and warlike, 
much broken up into small tribes, which are continually fight- 
ing and eating one another. 
On this island also, I am told, the natives are dying out. 
Depopulation seems to be the rule amongst these islands ; 
indeed, I believe it is true, not only of the New Hebrides, 
but, more or less, of nearly every group in the South 
Pacific. 
‘The causes of this are various. Foreign diseases, as already 
spoken of in the case of Aneityum, have done much deadly 
H 
