The Vessel reaches Efate. 105 
A mile or so up the river we came to a series of short falls 
or rapids, to the foot of which the salt water comes at high 
tide. The river is navigable for boats up this length, and here 
vessels send for water, filling the casks readily from the running 
stream. We crossed at this place upon stones, and came 
down the other side, enjoying the pretty scenery that this 
valley affords. 
Next morning we were off again, and on Tuesday cast 
anchor in Pango Bay, island of Efaté, eighty miles north-west 
of Eramanga. 
Less is known of Efaté and its people than of any of the 
islands to the south of it. In size it is about the same as 
Eramanga and Tana. In appearance it will hold its own with 
any of them. It has drawn high praise from many travellers : 
One says of it—“ The rainbow tints caused by the setting sun 
gave a peculiar beauty to the landscape, and many of the 
officers considered that none of the islands we had yet visited 
offered so beautiful a scene as that which lay before us.” 
Another—no less than Captain Cook, its discoverer, says— 
“The surface whereof appeared very delightful, being agreeably 
diversified with woods and lawns.” Efaté is no doubt a beauti- 
ful island, and its beauty is different from that of the islands we 
had met with before. There is more flat country on it than on 
some of the others, and the mountains do not, as in Aneityum 
and Tana, rise up from the sea in one continuous curve, but 
appear in lofty ranges in the centre of the island ; while be- 
tween them and the sea are undulations, covered with lux- 
uriant tropical vegetation. 
Efaté is rich in harbours and bays—more so than any other 
island of the group. There is Pango Bay, the one we anchored 
in, having a secure inner harbour at the head of it; Havannah 
Harbour, a fine sheet of water completely land-locked, which 
lies twenty miles round the coast ;. then, four or five miles in 
