V I T I GROUP. 



165 



fill up the space ; there are narrow passages between these reefs, and 

 those surrounding Nukumanu and Nukumbasanga, but safe to pass 

 through. Brown's Reef lies to the north-northwest of Nukumanu 3 

 miles. Dye's, Robinson's, Poukeepsie, and Porpoise Reefs, are situated 

 between Nukumanu and Nanuku Reefs ; they are detached from each 

 other, and although they have passages between them, yet this part of 

 the group ought to be avoided. These last-described islands and reefs 

 are believed to be the Scylla and Charybdis of the Duff. 



KINGGOLD ISLES. 



The islands which I have named the Ringgold Isles lie to the 

 west of the before-mentioned reefs. They form a small group of high 

 volcanic islands, which have been named Budd, Maury, North, 

 Holmes, and De Haven, after officers of the Expedition. Budd Island 

 is an extinguished crater ; the lip is broken down on the north, and 

 admits the sea. The highest point is 800 feet above the level of the 

 ocean. These islands are surrounded by many outlying reefs to the 

 northeast, concentric with each other, through which there are a few 

 breaks to the southwest ; many detached patches of coral extend 

 several miles to the southwest. Under Budd Island, we found ancho- 

 rage, near the shore, in 7 fathoms, sandy bottom. These islands are 

 not inhabited, and produce nothing but a little wood. The whole of 

 the Ringgold Isles with their reefs form such a labyrinth, that none 

 but a small vessel should venture to navigate among them, and they 

 ought to be avoided if possible. 



KOROTTJNA AND NUKULEVTT. 



Korotuna and Nukulevu are the most northeastern islands of the 

 group : they are both situated in the eastern end of extensive reefs 

 which surround them. The former extends to the westward of the 

 island 8 miles, and is from 3 to 5 miles in width ; the latter is 9 

 miles long and 2 miles wide. The reefs are separated 3 miles, the 

 east end of the reef of the former lying due north of the west end of 

 the latter. There are no breaks in these reefs, but the natives pass 

 over them in their canoes. Both of these islands, as well as those of 

 Nukumanu and Nukumbasanga, are thickly inhabited, and covered 

 with fine groves of cocoanut trees. The distance between the reefs of 



