304 MALOLO. 



to them on either hand, as we drifted slowly over these broad reefs, 

 which are not only decked with the rocky habitation of these indus- 

 trious lithophytes, but innumerable fancifully-coloured fish of all 

 shapes and sizes find shelter around and beneath them. The water 

 is so limpid as to make the smallest marking and lightest shades, not 

 only of the fish but of the corals themselves, perfectly distinct. 



Towards sunset, the tide having ceased to flow, both vessels got 

 under way and beat through the Navula Passage. This has nearly 

 the shape of an elbow, and ought not to be attempted with a contrary 

 wind, as there would not be room to beat through, except in a small 

 vessel. We reached the open sea before it was quite dark, and began 

 beating to the eastward along the Vitilevu shore. 



Finding, during the morning of the 30th, that the brig detained 

 me, I determined on parting company, and sent orders to her to 

 repair to Ovolau, observe for chronometer sights at Observatory 

 Point, procure a large quantity of yams, and thence proceed to 

 Muthuata to join the rest of the squadron. By the Porpoise I sent 

 orders to Captain Hudson to have every thing ready for sea by 

 the 10th of August, as I believed that the remaining duties might 

 be performed by that time, and informed him that I would join the 

 squadron at Mali Island, intending to leave the group through the 

 Mali Passage. 



This southwest coast of Vitilevu had already been examined in 

 the boats, under Lieutenant Emmons, as I have before mentioned. 

 Nothing was left to be performed for the completion of this survey ; 

 I, therefore, when opposite the situation of Vatulele, put over the 

 patent log and ran for it, by which method I found its distance from 

 Vitilevu to be eighteen miles. 



We remained all night under Vatulele, and in the morning began 

 the survey of its east side, the Peacock having already completed its 

 western shore. 



Vatulele has the appearance of a raised coral island, although it is 

 not so, but is of volcanic formation. The north part of this island is 

 about seventy feet above the sea level, and is composed of strata of 

 reddish clay and sandstone, lying nearly in horizontal layers, and 

 closely resembling the red cliffs of Vitilevu opposite to it. It gradu- 

 ally descends to a low point at its southern end. There is no more 

 than a narrow shore-reef on its western side, but on the eastern shore 

 a reef extends off two or three miles, forming a kind of bow from the 

 south to the north end of the island. There was no opening in the reef 



