LAKEMBA AND SAVD-SAVU. 189 



valavo to the large reef does not admit of a passage for vessels be- 

 tween them. 



On the 8th, the Porpoise sailed from the Exploring Isles, and 

 continued the surveys of Okimbo and Naitamba, with the surround- 

 ing reefs, both attached and separate. The former is made up of 

 three small isles, enclosed in the same reef, four miles east and west, 

 by three miles north and south, which are seven miles to the north of 

 the northwest point of Vanua-valavo. The detached reefs are from 

 one to four miles in length; they are awash, and dangerous. Okimbo 

 is desolate, and affords nothing but turtle in the season, and some 

 biche de mar. 



Naitamba is high and rugged ; it is of a circtilar form, one mile and 

 a half in diameter. The reef does not extend beyond half a mile 

 from it, and has no openings. It has few inhabitants. 



The time having now arrived for our meeting at Somu-somu, 

 Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold bore up for that place, passing 

 through Tasman's Straits, which lie between the islands of Kamia 

 and Vuna. Both of these have many reefs projecting from their 

 shores. This passage should not be attempted except in favourable 

 weather, and the best time is during the morning hours, when the 

 sun is to the eastward of the meridian. The currents are strong, and 

 calms are very frequent under the highlands of Kamia and Lauthala. 

 In passing through these straits, although they had a careful look-out 

 at the masthead, they were close to a coral knoll before it was seen, 

 and passed within a few feet of it. It had no more than eight feet of 

 water on it. At noon they rounded the north point of Vuna, entering 

 the Straits of Somu-somu, and at two o'clock p. m. they reached 

 the anchorage off the town of Somu-somu. 



Having finished all my business at Somu-somu on the 10th of 

 June, at ten o'clock at night, I determined, notwithstanding the late- 

 ness of the hour, to get under way with the tender, in order that I 

 might take up the survey of the south side of Vanua-levu, beginning 

 at Tokanova Point, early the next morning. We accordingly weighed 

 anchor, and stood out of the Straits of Somu-somu. 



In rounding Goat Island we did not give it a sufficient berth, and 

 grounded on a sunken patch of coral, an accident which hurt the 

 feelings of poor Tom the pilot more than it injured the tender. We 

 remained on this shoal about an hour, and after getting off we drifted 

 through the strait, and by daylight found ourselves in a position to 

 begin the survey. 



vol. in. 48 



