April i, 1892.] 
THE TROPICAL ACRIOULTURI8T. 
749 
A TRir TO THE NEW IIEBEIDES. 
By C. 1’. A 
When people ae a rnlo go for n trip, they generally 
at least know the ports or places they are to stop at; 
but on this oooisioD, wo knew little more than that 
we were boand for the New Hebrides and would not 
get much information concerning them. We left with 
the idea that wa were going to a very little known 
(st least to the outside world) and uncivilized country 
where savages abounded and cannibals are still to bo 
found : this however only gave it an additional charm. 
Our party consieted of five bound for the Islands on 
different vocations, to civilize the heathens, take 
views of the country and natives and to get some 
information of this out-of-the-way part of the world. 
One who has written of " the greatest thing in the 
world.” and is one of the great men to whom wo owe 
much, it is to be hoped will give us some of bis im. 
prossions received there. I allude to Professor 
Drummond, who was one ol our party. 
We left Sydney on the 19th June with a fair wind 
and fine weather in the A. U, S. N. Company’s 5. S. 
'• Booktou,” having a genial, kind and careful com- 
mander, and were very comfortable on board. The 
weather got warmer every day. Time sonu passed, 
talking of the different things wo expected to see, 
looking at tbo shoals of flying-fish, admiring the brau'iful 
sunsets, the description of which la a task beyond 
me, their brilliant coloora ohangiog every few seconds, 
and listening to stories ol the natives told by one of out 
party who bad been in the Islands before. One story 
I remember gave us rather a bad impression of the 
natives. A woman having died, her child was to be 
buried alive with her; the missionary offered to take 
the oliild and bring it up, and told them of tbo ein and 
crime they were oomiuitting, bnt it was no uso, it was 
their law and the child was buried with her. Shortly 
after 8 o’clock in the morning of the 23rd we sighted 
Kugi Peak, New Oaledoms, and soon the ligbtbonse 
was in view. It is on a little island, covered with 
scrubby but green vegetation and surrounded with a 
white sandy beach. Ijeaving it behind us, wo passed 
between two coral reefs, one the shape of a half moon 
and the other of a oirolc, the colour of tbo water 
inside being of different shados according to the 
proximity of the reef, the sea being as smooth as glass 
inside. AVe passed through a narrow entranoo be- 
tween two islands and almost at once came in sight 
of the town of Noumes, the chief town of New Cale- 
donia. The harbour is small but a good one. As wo 
went in the oouviots were to be seen at work, some 
monnting a gun on one of the hills ; we stesmed right 
up to the wharf and made fast alongside. The town 
is built on a flat with tho hills varying from a few 
hundred feet high close to the town to abont 2,000 
in the distance A few of ua went ashore intent on 
some purchases wo bad to make, and were agreeably 
surprised to find some English shops where one could 
buy almost anything wanted and at reasonable prices. 
Next day after visiting tho market early in tho 
morning we took a drive aome three or four miles 
into tho country to a sort of farm-house, where wo 
bad some good coffee sod oake brought ns by an English 
Woman, wno was very kind and atttentive, giving ua a 
bunch of flowers from her garden where roses, hibiscus 
and ooliases were growing Iniurianlly. As we drove 
out the view was not pirtionlarly pretty, but on onr way 
back as we approached the harbour, it was very fine. 
The climate was enjoyable, the temperature then 
being abont 65 or 70 deg. in the shade. Gardens are now 
being made in tho centre of the town square and the 
sides of tho streets abont it have been planted with 
“*®boyant trees, which will in time give a ploasaut 
shade. Plenty of natives wore to be seen about, in 
most oases doing nothing, except tho policemen who 
Were natives and were busy examining the cargo and 
“hip to see if there were any convicts escaping, as 
one had previously been put on board a ship in a 
ease as goods. We left Noumea on tho 24th and 
"teamed for some time close along the land j it was 
Very interesting going through the narrow piissago 
oalled Havannah, passing many small islands and coral 
94 
reefs. During the night we pasted close to Mard, one 
of the Loyalty Islands, and arrived at Auietynm, New 
Hebrides, next day, the 25th, still having delightful 
weather. The country ia very similar in appearance 
to parts of Ueyloii, the shore being fringed in placot 
with coconut trees, the bills rising at the back to 2,768 
feet high, two peaks oalled the Twins being that height 
covered with luxuriant vegetation and forest. After 
transhipping onr goods and chattels to the S. S. 
“ Trugauiui ” of about 200 tons and oallad after the 
last Queen of Tasmania, I believe, we went ashore and 
were introdnoed to some 20 or 25 missionaries and 
ladies who had come down from the different islands 
to attend the Synod of the Presbyterian Mission which 
was then being held ; many rosolutions were passed 
wbioh will greatly tend to the civilization of the 
natives and the advanoemeni of the oonntry. One or 
two of us iu the evening took a stroll to the saw-milta 
managed by Mr. Martin who was parlionlarly kind and 
hospitable; we saw tho timber being sawn up at the mills 
worked by steam, some very fine, one kaori plank 
being 4 feet broad, also another timber toomana very 
muoh like teak. The natives here, abont 650, are all 
more or less civilized, a good many of them speaking 
pigeon English. AVhat struck me as moat peculiar, 
tho natives all came forward and shook bands with ns, 
iu some cases rather ohjeotiouable, and at meetinga in 
some of the islouda where one had to shake 
hands with a hnndred or more, it beoame a nuisanoc. 
AVe sailed on the evening of the 26th and ar- 
rived at Tutuua Island at daybreak on the 27 tb, 
having laid to part of the night. AVe all went aakote 
and went up to the missionary’s house, where we 
bad just time to liave a otm of good tea and aome 
cake, when we bad to bo off again and sailed at 7-80 
a.m. VVe arrived and anchored in Sulphur Bay, 
Tauna Island, at 2 p.m., the captain bringing the 
ship here to allow our party to see the volcano 
Yassuer. Some fifteen of us, our pariy having been 
augmented by the missionaries from the Synod return- 
ing to their several islands, were soon oft' iu a boat 
for the shore ; bnt had to stop aome hundred yards 
or so from the beach, owing to the appearance of 
the orowd of natives, which was anything but inviting, 
all being armed and flocking down to the beach. It 
was but for a abort time only, as the miasiunary of 
the island who was with ns in the boat soon smoothed 
mattors and explained the object of onr visit. Tbeit 
arms, mostly Buidor riflee, though not as effective 
in their hands aa the puironed arrows whioh 
some of them oartiod, wore soon laid down, 
and after a little time spent in arranging for a few 
natives to oome with us, there being some difllonlty 
about the matter as they were .at war with another 
tribe, wo started for the volcano about 2 miles distant. 
After a pleasant walk through the bush, luxuriant in 
tropical vegetation wo arrived at the plain surround- 
ing the bill made desolate by the scoria whioh had 
fallen from the volcano and sat down provions to 
making an effort for our climb. 1 here bad time 
to notice the repugnant and savage appearanoe of the 
group of natives who had oome with us. After a 
quarter of an hour’s rest or so, we started np the hill, 
which is put down in the chart as 600 ft, high, but 
seemed 1,000 ; on our way op we passed several 
sulphur springs, the fumes from which were not 
refreshing. AVe were well repaid however for onr ex- 
hausting climb when we did get to the tup. I.ookiug 
down into the depths below from tho edge of the 
crater, we saw the ted hot mass of lava seething end 
boiling in the cauldron at the bottom, the smoko 
arising being of several oolocs os it was between us 
and the sun, while at intervals of different duratiM, 
the lava wai thrown np half way to the *0P Jr,? 
orator and again with a roar that 
tremble and shake great bolts of red hot lava were 
thrown high into the air. Fortunately the wind was 
iu our favor. Some pieces I should think were thrown 
quite 1,000 ft. above where we stood, one rod hot bolt 
falling on the spot where but a minute before one of 
our i>arty bad beeu silting and from which he lit his 
eigar. After taking a relio in the shape ol a dry drop 
of the crater, we descended on the opposite side tg tbht 
