240 Peacock nt Valulclc. 



FEEJEE GROUP. 



Suva Ilmhoor. 

 Island ur Mix- 11 



and Mr. Dfl Haven, that there would be DC diffi- 

 culty in taking the ship through, which I accord- 

 ingly did. This channel has shouts in it, (tome with 

 but a Few feet of water over them, while others 

 have sufficient for any class of vessels. The least 

 water we had was nine fathoms. 1 betters we 

 were enabled to locate all the shoals in it, and I 

 think it a safe passage. With the sun in the east, 

 and steering towards the west, the dangers are 

 distinctly visible. 



Beyond Uuia Point the passage becomes still 

 more intricate, and opposite Rnbe-rabc [aland it is 

 unite narrow, though there is ample water for any 

 —ttl. We, however, went briskly on, having a 

 lino breeze from the eastward. After getting 

 sight of the Leeuniba Point Reef, there is but a 

 narrow channel into the bay, which we reached at 

 half-past 3 p.m. The Peacock had just arrived 

 from the north side of Vanua-levu, and anchored. 



Mhua or Sandalwood Hay, though much filled 

 uilh large reefs, otters ample space' for anchorage. 



The holding- ground in excellent, and the water BOf 

 loo deep. The bay is of the figure of a large seg- 

 ment of a circle, six miles in diameter, and i* 

 formed by Leeumba Point on the taut and that of 

 Dimba-diniba on the west. The (and immediately 

 surrounding ii ia low, but a few mi lea hack it rises 

 in high and picturesque peaks. That of Corobato 

 is distinguished from the Vitilevu shore, ami has an 

 altitude of two thousand feet The shores of the 

 bay are lined with mangroves, and have, generally, 

 extensive mud-flats. There are few facilities here 

 for obtaining either wood or water, as iIh< anchor- 

 age is a long distance from the whore. Several 

 small streams enter the hay in its upper part, flow- 

 ing from some distance in the interior. This was 

 the principal place where the sandalwood WSJ for- 

 merly obtained, but it has for some years past been 

 exhausted. I shall defer speaking nf thi* ■lintrict 

 until I have given an aceoutil of the operations of 

 the Peacock. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



FEEJ EE GROUP— (concluded), 

 peacock at vatclele— svva raebou h - is i. in o op mbkxqa — Hakboex or sritoxro — island of malaki — 



SCKVET or SANDALWOOD n,n hi ''in t m >tn v roller— * ALOA BAY — rOVTK OF HBTIIUATA— TF. xrors LEAVES 

 SJOTOUATA— JOIX1 THE TIKCKMXEI IX MBUA HAT — STATE OF THE Stf KYEYS — TAPTVRK OP THfc tUUH i CTTEE 

 BY THE NATIVES IN SUA LIB BAY — HK AS CUES TAKE* IV CuXSEQPKXCE— ATTACK OH THE TOWS OF TTE, ITS 

 DSXTEVCTIOX — KEXAEKI TIIKBEOX— EELEASE OF FEIIOKEES— FEEIU SCEVEYS M ADE— ASOAECJA 1ILAXU— THE 

 POHPOISE JOINS THE TENDER AXD BOATS — BOATS KCJOltt — MtUNIUOLI SEWS — 01111 AT MALOLO OF 

 El BUT EX A XT UXDEB.WOOD AXD MIDSIIII'K AS UEX ar— II1MORT OF THE U AM ACEE— BCK1 A L OF THE ALAIX — 

 PREPARATIONS FOE AS ATTACK OX M A LOLO— ATTACK OX M ALOLO— AEEO BTJEXT— SOB MISSION OF TBE CHIEFS 

 AXD PEOl'LK— EEFLECTIOXM TH EttEOX— lit E V A RAT ION S FOE LEAVIXO TUT. TEEJEE OXOt'F. 



Ox the 2fith of May, the Peacock was off Vntulele. 

 Leaving Mbenga to the north, Kantavu on the 

 south, and passing through the sea of Kantavu, 

 they had surveyed the south-west side of Vatulele, 

 and afterwards stood for the opening in the reef off 

 the west end of Vitilevu, through which they ja.s.»cd 

 afi. r sunset, anchoring on the inside of the reef of 

 Navuls, in thirteen fathoms water. This is the 

 limit of the king of Rewa h authority. 



On the morning of the 27th, they coasted along 

 the land inside of the reef. The shores of Vitilevu 

 are here low ; but the land within a short distance 

 rises to the height of one thousand feet, and has 

 a brown and barren appearance. 1 1 is destitute of 

 trees, except on the low points along the shores 

 which are covered with mangrove (rhizophura) 

 and cocoa- nut groves. 



Towards sunset the vessel ran upon a coral lump, 

 which gave her a considerable jar ; but, on getting 

 out a kedge, they very soon hauled off, wheu Cap- 

 tain Hudson anchored for the night. 



In ihe evening, partly as a signal for tho absent 

 boats that were appointed to meet the ship here, 

 and partly for enect 00 the natives, they fired an 

 evening gun, burnt a blue-light, and set off three 

 rockets, or as the natives term them, ** fiery spirits." 

 These brought forth many shout* from the laud, 

 which were audibly heard on board, although the ] 



vessel was at a great distance from tho shore. 

 These signals were soon answered by a rocket 

 from the boats, which joined the ship early the 

 next morning. 



Lieutenant Emmons, his officers, and boats' 

 crews, were all well. No accident had occurred to 

 thcin, and he reported that he had finished his 

 work. After leaving the ship at Rewa, he passed 

 outside the reef for several miles, until he came 

 to a narrow and deep passage through the reef, 

 which led to a spacious harbour, on which lies the 

 village of Suva- Tho natives of this village told 

 Mr. Emmous' interpreter, that they were subjects 

 of the king of Rewa, and that they had lately bo- 

 come Christians. This is the village where the 

 Reverend Mr. Cargill had been tho Sunday pre- 

 ceding, and its inhabitants were the first prose- 

 lytes he had. 



Suva Harbour was surveyed and found to be an 

 excellent one, free from shoals, well sheltered, and 

 with good holding-ground, easy of ingress and 

 egress, with an abundance of wood and water. It 

 lies ten miles west of Rewa Roads. 



On the 20th, the boats stood over for Mbenga. 

 They found the current setting very strong to the 

 eastward, which mado a disagreeable short sea, 

 obliging them to keep two hands bailing to prevent 

 | the boat from swamping. Towards night they 



