290 TYE AND SUALIB. 
bling a lookout-house, formed of basaltic columns. It is surrounded 
by a reef with boat-entrances, and has on the north a break. The 
reef extends four and a half miles on the northeast side, and to within 
two miles of that of Vanua-valavo. Kanathia is three miles long 
from north to south, by two and a half miles from east to west; it 
lies five miles west of Vanua-valavo. The passage between them 
is clear, and the reefs of. both islands are visible at the same time. A 
detached reef lies off the southeast end five miles distant. Kanathia 
has about three hundred inhabitants. 
Malina was next surveyed. It lies north of Kanathia, is low, small, 
and has little herbage. It has an extensive reef surrounding it. 
Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold next visited the island of Vanua- 
valavo, which is included among the Exploring Isles, which he had 
previously visited. He now entered by the western passage, where 
he found good anchorage, and visited several fine harbours, where 
wood and water are to be had in abundance, and the natives were 
quite friendly. From the top of one of the peaks of Vanua-valavo, 
called Mount Totten (after the distinguished head of the engineer 
corps), angles were obtained on all the surrounding islands and reefs. 
The barometer gave for the height of this peak six hundred and sixty- 
four feet. The officers were engaged sounding and surveying the 
harbours, and examinations were made of the several passages.* The 
chief of the principal village is a mild, good old man, who afforded ali 
the facilities in his power, and the natives were glad to communicate 
and trade their taro, yams, pigs, &c., in exchange for iron and cloth. 
They are not so swarthy as the other islanders, and some of them are 
nominally Christians. The island is estimated to contain one thousand 
inhabitants. 
Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold designated this large and fine 
anchorage as Port Ridgely, after Commodore Ridgely; and it affords 
me great pleasure to confirm this compliment to one to whom the 
Expedition was much indebted on its outfit. 
On the 23d, they left this anchorage and proceeded easterly along 
the reef that surrounds the Exploring Isles, when they discovered a 
detached reef to the eastward, lying parallel to the side of the main 
reef. The southern end of this detached reef is two miles distant from 
the other. It has a small sand-bank on its south side, and trends north- 
northeast and south-southwest for four miles; there is, also, on it a 
black block of rock. 
On the 25th, they discovered a large bank of coral, on which they 
* All these will be particularly noticed in the Hydrographic Memoir. 
