LAKEMBA AND SAVU-SAVU. 193 



The night of the 17th, during my absence at Rewa, there was a 

 report that the observatory was to be attacked. Thirty men were, 

 in consequence, landed by Lieutenant Carr, and double guards placed. 

 The alarm arose from six war-canoes having anchored behind the 

 point nearest to the ship, where they were concealed from view. The 

 people of the small town of Vi Tonga left their town with all their 

 moveable property and fled to the mountains, so apprehensive were 

 they of an attack. Natives were seen during the night passing to 

 and from the point, who were believed to be spies ; nothing, however, 

 occurred. In the morning these war-canoes made their appearance, 

 when it was given out that it was Seru, with a war-party, on his way 

 to attack Koro. His real intention, it was thought, was an attack upon 

 the observatory, as he must have known that the usual vigilance had 

 not been kept up there for the last week or ten days. His views, 

 whatever they may have been, were, however, frustrated. 



Lieutenant Underwood and Passed Midshipman Sandford, I found 

 had returned from the survey of the islands of Angau, Nairai, and 

 Ambatiki, to the eastward of Ovolau. David Whippy, the Maticum 

 Ambau, had been sent with them as an interpreter, and to hold proper 

 authority over the natives. 



The first island which had occupied their attention, was Am- 

 batiki. It is in shape nearly an equilateral triangle, surrounded 

 by a reef, which offers no protection for vessels, and only passages for 

 boats. The island is seven hundred and fifty feet high, of a dome 

 shape, and contains five hundred inhabitants, all subject (or ygali) to 

 Ambau. The people were civil, and gave them taro and yams in 

 plenty, but would not part with any pigs. The reason given for this 

 was, their fear of Tanoa. They live in villages and seem thriving. 

 The island has very little wood on it. The reefs extend one-third of 

 a mile from its shore. 



Nairai was the next island visited by them. They first anchored 

 on the west end of the Onoruga Reef, that extends off from the middle 

 of Nairai, five miles in a westerly direction. There is a passage be- 

 tween this and the Mothea, or Eliza Reef, stretching off from the 

 island towards the south ; and there are also a good passage and har- 

 bour between the reef and the island. The Cobu Rock is a good 

 mark for the former passage, when it bears east. It lies a mile south 

 of the south point of Nairai. 



The boats anchored in the harbour of Venemole, which may be 

 known by two small islets, joined to Nairai by the reef, which forms 



vol. in. 49 



