■2'M 



Return to Ovoku— Proceedings of the 

 PorjM>i*€.— 1 1 land of Fulanjra. 



FEKJEE GROUP. 



lilnnil of Mor.vmhn, 



Islan<t» lUM by the Porpoiic. 



be gracious tu them. They then pray for rain, for 

 the life of die king, die arrival of wangara Fapa- 

 langi (foreign ships), that the)' may have riches 

 and live to enjoy them. This prayer is followed by 

 a most earnest response, " Mana endina " (amen, 

 MDen). They then repeat several times, ** Mima 

 endina sendina le." Every time this is repeated 

 they raise their voices, until they reach the highest 

 pilch, and conclude- with " O-ya-ye," which they 

 utter in a tone resembling n horrid scream. This 

 Kffl ell goes the rounds, being repeated by nil the 

 people of the koro, until it readies lis farthest 

 limits, and, when it ceases, the king drinks his ava. 

 All I he chiefs clap their hands, with great regu- 

 larity, while he in drinking, and, after he has 

 finished his ava, the chiefs drink theirs, without 

 any more ceremony. The business of the day is 

 then begun. The people never do any thing in 

 the morning before the king has drunk his ava. 

 Even a foreigner will not venture to work or make 

 a noise before that ceremony is over, or during the 

 preparation of it, if he wiaheH to be on good terms 

 with the king and people. 



The tender having returned with the boats of 

 the l\.rpoisc from surveying the straits opposite 

 tJ>*at J stand, we received on board Tubou Totai 

 and Coroduwdow, together with their suites: and 1 

 was happy to he able to give the Rev. Mr. Hunt a 

 passage to Rewn, whither 1 intended proceeding 

 on my r- him to Lvvuka. Mr. Hunt was lining for 

 the purpose of offering to lake the charge of the 

 children of the Rov. Mr. Cargill, who had met with 

 the melancholy loss of his wife hhorily after the 

 Peacock had left Rewa. From this gentleman 1 

 obtained much information, and found that he con- 

 firmed a gnat deal it! that which I have already 

 given. He was obliging enough to act as my in- 

 terpreter on many occasions afterwards. 



The Porpoise parted company with the Vin- 

 c iuivH on the tiili May, off the island of Fulanga. 

 From litis time, until June !) h, when 1 met her nt 

 .Soiuu soiuu. Lieutenant - Coiiimaudaut Ringgold 

 had been engaged in the survey of the eastern 

 islands of the group. It in now time that 1 

 should revert to the operations in which he had 

 been engaged. 



The survey under Lieutenant - Commandant 

 Ringgold was' begun at the south-east island, 

 railed Ongen. There are, in fact, two inland! in- 

 closed in the same reef, called Ongea-levu and 

 Ongea-riki. A good entrance was found on the 

 north-west side of the reef, and a harbour, to which 

 the name of Port Refuge was given ; but there is 

 little or no inducement to enter it, for the islands 

 are barren, and no water is to be found. A few 

 wretched inhabitants are on them. 



Three miles to fh" southward and eastward of 

 Ongea 18 a dangerous reef aud sand-bank, called 

 Nnyu Ongca. 



Fulanga was ihc next examined. This is a fine 

 isk.it'l, surrounded by the usual coral reef, which 

 has an entrance through it on the north-east side 

 (suitable for small vessels), that expands into a 

 large basin, with many islets and reefs, whew 

 large quantities of biehe - de - mar have been 

 gathered. The boats circumnavigated this island, 

 and their crews were ou shore all night, in conse- 

 •pii nee of having been obliged to return to the 

 place where they first began their work, and of 

 tin r Knug no possibility of passing over the reef 



to enable them to join the brig before the night 

 closed in. They were kindly treated. 



During the night a heavy sunoll wjis experienced 

 from the north-tiorth-wes't, with vivid lightning 

 and rain ; but the following day proved fiue. In 

 the morning live boats rejoined the brig, and 

 brought off a native who gave his name as Tiana, 

 and through Jim, the interpreter, they gathered 

 the information that the island is subject to Tni 

 Neau, king of Lakemha. He also gave the 

 names of all the islands in sight, lie knew our 

 flag, and spoke of vessels often visiting this 

 Hand. 



The boats left the brig in the afternoon, under 

 the pilotage of Tiana, finished the survey of the 

 island, and made the west bluff of Fulanga, by 

 trtangulation, one hundred and fifty feet high. 

 They then returned, bringing on hoard a chief of 

 the inland, whose name was Soangi, and the native 

 missionary from Tonga, called Tuia. Neither of 

 them had any covering but the maro. They re- 

 mained on board all night. 



This island is one of those on which fine timber 

 grows, and is, therefore, resorted to by the Vavao 

 and Friendly islanders for building canned. Three 

 of these were seen in the process of construction, 

 under a long shed, one of which, on measurement, 

 was found to be one hundred and two feet long, 

 seven feel wide, and five feet deep, or a beautiful 

 model ; the other two were somewhat smaller. 

 The builders said that they were constructing 

 them for a Vn\ ao chief, called Salomon, for the 

 Tonga war. The work wns performed under a 

 contract, and the price agreed on was to he paid in 

 whales' teeth, axes, guns, A.e. Salomon was at the 

 village, and went off w ith Lieutenant-Commandant 

 Ringgold to the brig, for the purpose of accompa- 

 nying him to the other islands. lie was a re- 

 markably handsome man, and resembled the Tonga 

 chiefs more than tin? other Feejc-s. 



Leaving Fulanga Lieutenant-Commandant Ring- 

 gold bore away for Kambara, having first surveyed 

 the small island of .Moramha, which is half a mile 

 in diameter. It is well wooded, and is surrounded 

 by a reef, but offers no facilities to vessels. 



Enkaha, which is two miles long by one wide, is 

 inhabited, well wooded, and has a breach in the 

 reef, but no harbour. 



Kambara was the next island in rourse. It is 

 of a rectangular form, is about three miles and a 

 half long and two wide, and is the westernmost of 

 what 1 have termed the Eastern Group. It is 

 fertile aud well wooded ; its timber is esteemed 



above that of nil tl ther islands of the group for 



canoo-huilding; and cocoa-nut groves abound along 

 its shores. The island is not entirely surrounded 

 hy the reef, which is wanting on the north-west 

 side. On examination it proved to have no anehor- 

 nge for large vessels, but small ones and boats may 

 find protection. This Hand may bo known by a 

 remarkable bell-shaped peak on its north-west side, 

 which is a good landmark. It is covered with 

 rich verdure, and was found to be three hundred 

 and fifty feet high. 



Tubauaielli is a small uninhabited island on the 

 western side of Kambara. 



Namuka, which was the next to claim attention, 

 has a very extensive reef surronnding it, and 

 offers no anchorage. There are but few natives 

 upon it. 



