174 LAKE MBA AND SAVU-SAVU. 



been obliged to return to the place where they first began their work, 

 and of there being no possibility of passing over the reef to enable 

 them to join the brig before the night closed in. They were kindly 

 treated. 



During the night a heavy squall was experienced from the north- 

 northwest, with vivid lightning and rain ; but the following day 

 proved fine. In the morning the boats rejoined the brig, and brought 

 off a native who gave his name as Tiana, and through Jim, the inter- 

 preter, they gathered the information that the island is subject to Tui 

 Neau, king of Lakemba. He also gave the names of all the islands 

 in sight. He knew our flag, and spoke of vessels often visiting this 

 island. 



In preparing the boats for service after dinner, an accident hap- 

 pened which nearly proved fatal to a man named Henry Ham- 

 mond. In passing the arms into the boat, one of the carbines went 

 off when the muzzle was within six inches of his side : he gave a 

 loud shriek, and fell ; his shirt took fire from the explosion, and all 

 thought the ball had passed through his body ; but his position was 

 fortunately such that it only passed through the integuments, and 

 came out about three inches from the place where it entered, having 

 glanced off from one of the short ribs. The wound did not prove 

 dangerous. 



The boats left the brig in the afternoon, under the pilotage of Tiana, 

 finished the survey of the island, and made the west bluff of Fulanga, 

 by triangulation, one hundred and fifty feet high. They then re- 

 turned, bringing on board a chief of the island, whose name was 

 Soangi, and the native missionary from Tonga, called Toia. Neither 

 of them had any covering but the maro. They remained on board all 

 night. 



In the morning, Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold and several 

 officers visited the island. The passage through the reef was intri- 

 cate, and a strong tide was rushing through it. After passing the 

 reef, an extensive basin, with numerous islets and reefs in it, is 

 reached, in which the water is deep and of a dark blue colour. The 

 islets are composed of scoriaceous materials, of volcanic origin, and 

 what seemed singular, was their being undermined by the action of 

 the sea to the distance of ten or twelve feet. Some of the rocks had, 

 in consequence, the appearance of a large overhanging shelf, of the 

 form of a mushroom. 



They landed at the village at the head of the bay, which consists 



