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HYDROGRAPHY. 



To the west of Rewa Roads, 4 miles distant, lies Suva Point : it is 

 low, and projects beyond the general line of the coast. On the west 

 side is Suva Bay ; at the head of the bay there is a small stream, 

 which falls into it, and where water may be procured with facility. 



At Suva Point the reef follows round the bay, and forms a conve- 

 nient harbor for vessels ; the anchorage is good, one of the best the 

 island affords ; the low shores are skirted with mangroves. The 

 town of Suva lies on its east side, and Malloni on the west. Supplies 

 can be obtained here in abundance and cheap. The natives are 

 friendly, and some of them are termed Christians. 



From Suva Bay to the town of Indimbi to the west, the coast is 

 low, and bounded, for the distance of 13 miles, by a reef, trending 

 nearly on a line with it. Indimbi is near the mouth of a consi- 

 derable stream, supposed to be a branch of the Wailevu, or a river 

 taking its rise near its source in the mountains. There is no good 

 harbor at Indimbi. From thence to Nangara Point, the distance 

 is 12 miles, the coast trending west-southwest ; it is of the same low 

 character, but the flat or low land is not so wide, the hills approach- 

 ing the coast. Nangara Point, although formed by a high hill, has its 

 extreme termination low. The coral reef continues to follow the shore 

 as far as the point, and has no break. The channel between the reef 

 of 'Mbenga and Viti Levu, from Indimbi to Storm Islet, situated on 

 the former, is 7 miles in width, but gradually contracts up to Nangara 

 Point, off which there are many detached patches of coral, which 

 nearly unite the two reefs : the passage through from this cause is 

 rendered somewhat intricate and unsafe. 



The sea-reef of 'Mbenga is 17 miles in length, east and west, by 12 

 miles at its greatest breadth ; it is irregular in its outline, particularly 

 on its south side, where the reef is continuous. The north side of the 

 reef, or that towards Vitu Levu, is very much broken. This reef 

 encloses the Islands of 'Mbenga, Nemuka, Stuart's, and Bird. Storm 

 Islet is situated on the northeast side of the reef. 



'Mbenga Island is 5 miles in length, east and west, by 3 miles wide; 

 it lies in the eastern bight of 'Mbenga Reef. It is high, rising up in 

 two cone-shaped peaks to the altitude of 1289 feet, and is of volcanic 

 formation. It contains two harbors, Sawau and Elliott : though not 

 large, they are safe : the former has its entrance at the north and east 

 end of the island, the latter at the west end. The land round Sawau 

 rises in most places from 1 to 200 feet. The town is situated on a 



