SOMU-SOMU. 153 



ship, telling him it was made from the thigh-bone of one of his 

 enemies whom he had killed in battle. 



Leaving Lakemba, Lieutenant Carr proceeded with the tender to 

 Vanua-vatu, where they began their surveys. The tender's boats 

 were launched, and the island was circumnavigated ; it rises gradu- 

 ally, on all sides, to the height of several hundred feet, and is covered 

 with foliage; it is six miles in circumference, and is encircled by a 

 reef, through which there are two entrances for boats, but neither of 

 them is sufficiently wide for the entrance of a vessel. This island is 

 not inhabited, but the natives resort there for the purpose of fishing. 



Lieutenant Carr next surveyed the Tova Reef, which was found 

 about equidistant from Totoia, Moala, and Vanua-vatu. He repre- 

 sents it as one of the most dangerous outlying reefs in the group ; it 

 is a mile in diameter, and nearly circular ; the two former islands are 

 in sight from it, but the latter, being low, was not seen. At low 

 water this reef is quite dry, and it then forms a snug basin, into 

 which there is a shallow passage for boats. The soundings within 

 the reef were found extremely irregular, varying from two to fourteen 

 feet. At high water the reef is entirely covered, and the sea breaks 

 on it at all times. 



The next island that claimed Lieutenant Carr's attention was 

 Totoia. Here he discovered a passage leading through the reef, into 

 which he went with the tender, and anchored in fifteen fathoms, half 

 a mile distant from the shore. They found here a canoe from Vavao, 

 manned by Tongese. Totoia is high and much broken ; it resembles 

 the rest of the group in its volcanic formation ; it is covered with 

 luxuriant foliage, and has many fertile valleys. On the morning of 

 the 20th, in heaving up the anchor in order to proceed with the 

 survey, it broke at the crown, and the flukes were lost ; an incident 

 which does not say much for the goodness of the anchorage on the 

 northern side. Lieutenant Carr thinks that this harbour can be 

 useful only as a temporary refuge. It is filled with broken patches, 

 has very irregular soundings, from three to thirty fathoms, and the 

 passages between these patches are quite narrow and tortuous. The 

 weather setting in bad, they were obliged to forego the examination 

 of a small part of the southern portion of the reef for openings : it is 

 believed, however, that none exist. 



Among the whites and natives in the group, the natives of this 

 island have the reputation of being more ferocious and savage than 

 any other ; they are said to be constantly at war, and are obliged to 



vol.. in. 39 



