NARRATIVE OF THE CRUISE. 
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Islands till the year 1874, although it is known that whaling vessels cruised occasionally 
in their vicinity, for Captain Abraham Bristow of the “ Sir Andrew Hammond ” was 
there in February, March, and April 1871, and specimens of Admiralty Island lances and 
gourds are to be seen in the Christy and British Museum collections, which had been 
obtained from Cape York, having doubtless been taken there by tortoiseshell and pearl shell 
traders, and b} 7 the whaling vessels. In 1874 H.M. Schooner “ Alacrity,” Lieutenant 
Commander Saunders, visited the south and east coasts of the main Admiralty Island and 
Jesu Maria Island, and found the inhabitants friendly and well disposed. 
Since the visit of the Challenger in March 1875, the Admiralty Islands have been 
several times visited by the far famed Melanesian explorer Baron N. de Miklucho-Maclay, 
viz., in 1876, 1879, and January 1883. 
The Admiralty group, which may be considered as confined between the parallels of 
1° 40' and 3° 30' south latitude, and the meridians of 145° 30' and 148° 30' east longitude, 
consists of one large and numerous small islands, amongst which are interspersed many 
coral reefs. 
The main Admiralty Island (named “ Bosco ” by Maurelle, but which is merely 
designated Admiralty on the Admiralty charts) is about 60 miles in length by 10 in 
width, and occupies an area of upwards of 500 square miles. The next largest island 
in the group is that of Jesu Maria, which is about 12 miles in length by 5 in breadth, 
with an area of 50 square miles. The remaining islets of the group are small. 
Admiralty or Bosco Island consists for the most part of undulating land, which 
attains a considerable elevation, nearly 3000 feet, in its central parts. The coast is for 
the most part low, and here and there indented by deep bays and occasionally fringed 
with mangrove bushes. Off the coast, at varying distances, are a series of coral reefs 
forming natural breakwaters, and as the water is of a convenient depth between these reefs 
and the shore, well protected anchorage may be obtained at almost any part of the island. 
These off-lying reefs do not form a connected barrier such as may be seen off the north- 
eastern coast of Australia, but are detached from each other, in some cases, by considerable 
intervals ; they are however, in all probability, elevations of the same submarine plateau 
the extent of which requires to be traced by the lead line. 
Besides Admiralty or Bosco Island, four others of the group attain an elevation of from 
600 to 800 feet, while the remaining islets are low and more like what in the West Indies 
are denominated “ cays ” than islands, and are situated on coral reefs. 
The investigations of the Challenger were confined to the northwest comer of the 
main island, in the immediate neighbourhood of the anchorages. 
Naves Harbour, at the western extremity of the north coast of Admiralty Island, is a well 
sheltered and convenient anchorage, easy of access, but destitute of supplies. It is nearly 8 miles in 
length from east to west, has an average breadth of 3 miles, and is protected by a reef which, joining 
