11

A.—4

"Productions. —The productions of the islands composing the New Hebrides, including Banks Islands, consist of bread-fruit, cocoanuts, sago, bananas, nutmegs, sugar-cane, taro, arrowroot, sweet potatoes, and yams. Pigs are also occasionally procurable at Banks Islands, but principally at Mai Island. The best articles for barter consist of beads, fish-hooks, calico, axes, and, in some of the less frequented islands, iron hoops, and iron cut into short lengths. "Mai or Three Hills Island has three elevations, which are respectively 1,850,1,450, and 1,400 feet high; the eastern and highest hill, Eave-na, is the most regular in outline, with a gentle slope from its summit, whilst its sides are thickly cultivated. The island lies about N.E. and^S.W. for a distance of six miles, the average breadth being about two and a half miles. "A supply of pigs and yams, the latter very good, may be procured; the barter used by the ' Southern Cross' being caiico and tomahawks. No fresh-water is obtainable, and but little firewood. The population has been estimated to be about 800 or 1,200, and in this small island no less than three dialects are spoken. The character of the natives is noisy and quarrelsome, and during communication strangers should be on their guard against surprise. The arms of these islanders consist of clubs, tomahawks, bows, and poisoned arrows; and they daub their faces, as well as other parts of their bodies, with turmeric. They possess only a few canoes. "Api or Tasiho Island. —This island is about twenty-five miles in length in a N.W. and S.B. direction, and from six to ten miles in breadth. It is of a very fertile character, well wooded, with a high range on its western part, and numerous appearances of streams or where water may be found after rain. The island is apparently thickly inhabited, and the natives in character and appearance resemble the inhabitants of Mai Island. " Namuku Islet, off the centre of the south side of Api Island, rises to the height of 500 feet, and forms a conspicuous object. " Lopevi Island resembles Star or Meralaba Island in appearance, but with a sharper cone. The crater was very active, and only a few inhabitants and but little vegetation remain." Ambrym Island. —The population appeared to be numerous, and the natives at the village on the north part of the island appeared very friendly; but at other places arrows were occasionally shot at the bishop's boat, probably in consequence of some injury received at the hands of traders. The canoes, like those of other islands of the group, are clumsily made, and would probably contain ten or twelve men. Mallicollo Island. —The north-east coast of this island is bordered with a succession of islets and fringe reefs, which in some places run out some distance. At the islet of Orumbau, which has 1 a white sandy beach along its N.E. face, and somewhat bluff at its S.E. extreme, the reef projects about half a mile from its northern end. This islet, which lies in lat. 16° 4' S., long. 167° 21' E., is covered with cocoanut trees, and has a good landing-place on a steep beach at its inner or western side, with deep water close to the beach. The natives were friendly on the only occasion the islet was visited; from 200 to 300 were assembled on the beach, and the island may possibly contain about 500 inhabitants. St. Esprit Island. —The Bay of St. Philip is not so deep as it appears on the charts; the position of the mouth of the Eiver Jordan, which flows into the head of the bay, was found to be in lat. 15° 9' 41" S., long. 166° 53' 15" E. This is a most convenient place for watering, as the boats pull into the river, where any quantity of good fresh water may be obtained. The ordinary trade-wind comes beautifully fresh and cool over the land, whilst the temperature is about 4° lower than in other parts of the group, and occasionally sea breezes from northward contend with the trade-winds when light. Lepers' Island. —The magnificent mountain of this island, rising to the height of 4,000 feet, resembles a whale's back in outline, and from the sea assumes a most imposing appearance. An abundance of yams and cocoanuts are grown on the island, but in consequence of the swell on all the beaches it is difficult to land a ship's boat; and the natives, though apparently energetic, have not yet accustomed themselves to bring off' supplies in their canoes, which, though numerous, are small. Pentecost or Whitsuntide Island lies N.N.W. and S.S.E., with moderately high ranges, and occasional fringe reefs on its western or lee side, extending in some cases half a mile off shore. There are two good watering-places towards the south-west end of the island, where boats may lie a few fathoms off running streams; but it should be borne in mind that the beds of the streams are liable to change after heavy rains. It is apparently more thickly populated and highly cultivated^ than the neighbouring island of Aurora. Communication was established with the natives at Vunmarama, a village at the north-west point of the island, where, in general, a good supply of yams, &c, may be obtained. At the southern portion of the island the canoes are large, and the people dark, tall, and muscular. Banks Islands. These lie to the northward of the New Hebrides, between lat. 13° 16' and 14° 10' S., and long. 167° 17' and 158° 34' E. Vanua Lava, the largest of the Banks Islands, is fifteen miles in length north and south, and is a remarkable looking island, with several high rounded mountains, the highest, to the north-west, being some 2,800 feet above the sea. In the Suretamiti Mountain are several hot springs always steaming, whilst a stream impregnated with sulphur runs down to the sea on the north-west coast, and a similar one falls into Port Patteson on the eastern side. There are two waterfalls on the western side, one single and the other double. The population of Vanua Lava amounts to about 1,500. The natives were quiet and friendly. Santa Maria or Gana IslaifH, the second largest of the Banks Islands, lies between the parallels 14° 12' and 14° 22' S., and between the meridians 167° 23' and. 167° 36' E. The main range of mountains, about 2,000 feet high, lies on an east and west direction, and excepting on the south side, where the land falls in ridges, the slopes are regular to the shore; the island is well

I.—The Islands generally: Mr. Seed.