Australia s Heritage. 
65 
vessels from Sydney and those in the service of 
the French New Hebrides Company—an asso¬ 
ciation that while possessing a considerable 
amount of purchased land in the various 
islands is merely kept going by a subsidy 
from the French Government. 
Aneityum is a high and mountainous island 
with but a narrow belt of low-lying land 
running round its coast, but it possesses some 
splendid forests. A saw mill, owned by an 
Australian firm, has been established here and 
some excellent timber has been produced for 
local purposes—house-building, ship-building, 
etc. This island is but twelve miles in length 
and about six in width. The natives are all 
(alleged) Christians and number about 2,200. 
They were the first to come under missionary 
influence, and are a peaceable, law-abiding race. 
They are, of course, of Papuan blood, and of 
a very dark colour, with woolly or frizzy hair 
like that of most Fijians. No harbours for 
large vessels are available, but the steamers of 
the Australasian New Hebrides Company and 
small sailing craft find anchorage under the 
north-west end of the island during the strong 
south-east trade winds. 
6 
