220 MBUA BAY AND MUTHUATA. 



act. Since that time these descendants of the gods, according to their 

 mythology, have lost their political influence. 



Mbenga, like all the large islands of this group, is basaltic. Its 

 shape is an oval, five miles long by three wide. 



The boats now explored the reef, and anchored at night under 

 Namuka, within the same reef as Mbenga. They found about one 

 hundred natives on this island, who were very friendly, bringing them 

 quantities of cocoa-nuts, fish, and some small articles, for traffic. 



The reef on the northwest side was found to contain many ship- 

 passages. 



After the examination of these, they visited Bird Island, lying in 

 the passage between Mbenga Reef and Vitilevu. The reef off this 

 part of Vitilevu nearly joins that of Mbenga. Two miles beyond 

 this Lieutenant Emmons entered a well-sheltered harbour, where 

 the boats stayed over-night. About three miles to the westward 

 of it, they found another similarly situated, after which they con- 

 tinued to proceed down the coast, along the reef, without meeting 

 any harbour until after dark, when they succeeded in getting into the 

 exposed one at Ndronga. Just before anchoring, it being quite dark, 

 they were hailed several times in the native language from a small 

 vessel, and not answering, they were about being fired into from the 

 " "Who would have thought it !" Mr. Winn, who was lying here 

 collecting shells for the ship Leonidas, Captain Egleston, which 

 vessel was then curing biche de mar at Ba, on the north side of the 

 island. 



The harbour (if so it may be called) of Ndronga, affords no pro- 

 tection against the southwest winds, and is only suitable for small 

 vessels. The anchorage is in five fathoms water. The reef from 

 this point westward increases in distance from the shore from one to 

 two miles. It extends to the westward six miles further, where an 

 opening in the reef occurs, which leads to a harbour. The entrance of 

 this was narrow, and open to the southward and westward, the reef 

 broken and some sunken patches of rock. On the eastern side of the 

 harbour there is a small islet with cocoa-nut trees, on which Lieu- 

 tenant Emmons landed. Here he found a native's hut, but no inha- 

 bitants. Some shells and cocoa-nuts were procured, and the harbour 

 was sounded out, after which the boats put to sea. 



Five miles beyond this harbour they came to the Malolo Island 

 Passage, where the great sea-reef from the westward joins, having 



