Krusentern, Burney, and Purdy, will give all the particulars of the discussion. Admiral Krusenstern's opinions have been followed here.

RENNELL'S ISLANDS.-Two islands to the southward of Guadalcanar, the southernmost of the Salomon Islands, apparently discovered by Capt. Wilkinson, in the Indispensable, on her voyage from New South Wales to China, in 1790. The ship passed between them. The S.E., or Rennell's Island (S.E. extremity), is in lat. 11° 38' S., lon. 160° 41' E. The N.W., or Bellona Island, is in lat. 11° 11' S., lon. 159° 50′ E.

INDISPENSABLE REEF, an extensive reef, lying in a N.N.W. and S.S.E. direction, was discovered by Capt. Wilkinson, at the same period as the lastdescribed group. Its S.E. end is in lat. 12° 46' S., lon. 160° 40′ E.; and its N.W. end is in lat. 11° 44' S., lon. 159° 58' E.

WELLS REEF was discovered by Capt. V. Edwards, in H.M.S. Pandora, in 1791. Its East end is in lat. 12° 20′ S., lon. 157° 58' E.

POCKLINGTON BANK was discovered by a commander of that name, in 1825. According to Capt. Horsburgh, it is 70 miles East of Rossel Island, and is a reef extending in an East and West direction 30 miles. Its centre is in lat. 10° 53' S., lon. 155° 30′ E.

LAUGHLAN ISLANDS, a group of nine islets, extending 5 miles East and West, and nearly as much North and South, including the surrounding reefs, were discovered by Capt. Laughlan, in the Mary, in 1812. Two of the largest of them are at most about half a league in extent; the land is only elevated a few feet above the water level.* According to D'Urville, who saw them in 1827, the eastern point is in lat. 9° 19' 3" S., lon. 153° 48′ 40′′, nearly identical with that of their discoverer.

CANNAC ISLAND, discovered by D'Urville, lies 9 miles West of Laughlan Islands. It is a rock of 200 or 250 feet in height. It is in lat. 9° 19′ S., lon. 153° 30'.

WOODLARK ISLAND.-The discovery of this island is attributed by Capt. R. L. Hunter to Capt. Grimes, of the Woodlark, of Sydney, prior to September, 1836. Capt. Hunter gave the first intelligence to the world of its existence; he saw it in the ship Marshall Bennett, September 27, 1836. He says it is probably narrow, in a North and South direction, with small islets lying off the South side. The North side is bold to approach, and clear of danger, extending about 40 miles E. by S. and W. by N. It is of moderate height, with some hills in the interior, the highest being of a remarkable sugar-loaf shape. There are one or two bays on this side, and on the western side of the deepest one was an entrance of a small inlet or river; but it was not examined. This is the sum of the information given by Capt. Hunter, who places its eastern end in lat. 9° 9' S., lon. 153° 5' E.; and the western end in lat. 8° 53′ S., lon. 152° 24′ E., which is not much in error.‡

• Horsburgh, vol. ii. p. 638.

+ Voyage de D'Urville, tome iv. p. 489. Nautical Magazine, July, 1840, p. 465.

The following recent information was given (May, 1848) to M. Dutaillis by Lieutenant-Commander Marceau, of the French ship Arche d'Alliance:—

The whole of its southern part is bestrewed with small islands, connected with each other for the most part by coral reefs, between which there exist several passages. Up to the present time we only know of those examined by Capt. Rabalau, of the brig Anonyme, belonging to the Société Catholique, and which brought and landed Monseigneur D'Antiphelles at Garupe, the South port.

The banks are very steep-to. The two passes to the East and West of the islet Elaue are very good; the currents are pretty strong in them, and throughout the road sand is found, with ordinary holding ground.

The natives are Papuas, and traded freely alongside, but were well armed with bows, arrows, and spears. There can be no danger in only allowing them alongside; but ships should be constantly on their guard against treachery, and on no account should landing be made without an especial object, and then well armed. The natiyes might not be inclined to be treacherous, but a savage should never be trusted. Probably the labours of the French missionaries may remove the necessity for these remarks.

MARSHALL BENNETT ISLANDS, three small and high islands to the E.S.E. of Gouvency Island, 10 miles distant, were announced by Capt. R. L. Hunter, of the ship whose name is here given. The positions are:-The easternmost, lat. 8° 50' S., lon. 152° E.; middle, lat. 8° 49′ S., lon. 151° 56′ E.; and the westernmost, lat. 8° 46′ S., lon. 151° 52′ E.*

EVANS ISLAND, seen in 1841, is surrounded with islets and reefs, in the middle of which, a whaling captain assured M. Dutaillis that there was a good anchorage. Its position is in lat. 9° 10' S., lon. 151° 55' E.t

LOUISIADE ARCHIPELAGO.

This range of islands and reefs were most probably discovered by Torres, in 1606, though the credit of this has generally been attributed to Bougainville. After the separation of Quiros and Torres, the latter determined to go to Manila, and discovered some land in lat. 11°, supposing it to be a portion of New Guinea. He was not able to double its eastern cape (which must be that subsequently named Cape Deliverance by Bougainville), and then bore away along the South side, running 100 leagues, till he came to a strait separating New Guinea and Terra Australis.

Of the northern side of this archipelago, our only authority is the operations of the Recherche and Espérance, under the orders of Contre-Amiral D'Entrecasteaux, June, 1793, an examination concluded just previously to the death of that navigator, July 20, 1793. Of the South coast we have now a better knowledge. It was, as before stated, examined, but very cursorily, by Bougainville. More recently, however, it has been surveyed by D'Urville, in the Astrolabe, in 1840, and still more exactly by Capt. Stokes, in the Rattlesnake and Bramble. The account of this portion will be reserved for a future section.

• Nautical Magazine, July, 1840, p. 466.

+ M. Dutaillis, Ann. Hyd., tome i. p. 160.

"The Louisiade," says M. Labillardière, who accompanied D'Entrecasteaux's expedition, "appears to be well peopled; the inhabitants are quite naked, and are of a light black colour; they wear tufts of feathers around their woolly hair. Some are as black as the natives of Mozambique, whom they much resemble: like them, their upper lip projects a good deal over the under; and these two distinct races, in the same country, present a singularity the more remarkable, as it is also found in the islands of Santa Cruz, and many others in the Pacific. The inhabitants of Louisiade do not understand the Malay language; they construct their cottages like those of Papua or New Guinea, which are raised 8 to 12 feet above the ground. They are armed with darts, and a buckler on the left arm-a weapon not very common among the savages of Australasia. They make nets for fishing; are very fond of odours, and perfume most of the objects of which they make use."

ADELE ISLAND is the easternmost extreme of the Louisiade Archipelago, and is one of the most important points as to its position. It was discovered by Capt. Ruault-Coutance, of the French ship Adèle. This small island was seen, and its situation determined, by D'Urville, lat. 11° 25', lon. 154° 34'. It is a coral bank of 500 or 600 yards in diameter, surmounted by a tuft of trees, and surrounded by a reef, which joins on to Rossel Island, a distance of 7 miles, in a N.W. by W. direction. It must be the Island of Satisfaction of Capt. Bristow and the charts.

ROSSEL ISLAND is the eastern large island of the Louisiade. Its position is well determined.

CAPE DELIVERANCE was thus named by Bougainville, and is the easternmost cape of Rossel Island. It is in lat. 11° 23′ 25′′ S., lon. 154° 16′ E. As before stated, the North side, to which our present description is confined, was examined by D'Entrecasteaux. The following is extracted from his work :—

"The highest portion of this, the easternmost of the Louisiade, was hidden in the clouds; but near the coast it was clothed with thick forests, separated by openings covered with agreeable verdure. A small island appeared, South of which the coast formed a fine bay, where, it may be presumed, was good anchorage."

A chain of reefs extends from the West point of this island for 14 leagues, to within 10 miles of a low island covered with cocoa-nut trees. It was called Piron Island. Its shores were bordered with reefs, which extended in an E.S.E. and W.N.W. direction. Over this island some very high land (Iles du Sud Est) was seen. Several small and detached islands were also seen. The whole of the islands here, and to the westward, are apparently connected and surrounded by reefs and rocks; some appear above the water, so that the navigation is dangerous if too near. The violence of the current does not diminish this danger.

The Renard or Fox Islands (West point) are in lat. 10° 52′ 40′′, and lon. 152° 47′ 12". The bank extends from their western point. D'Entrecasteaux passed to the West of them, and mentions the appearance of a shoal, but which was occasioned by overfalls. Several islands were seen to the North of the Fox Islands, connected by reefs. No houses were visible on these islands, and they

would have been supposed to have been uninhabited had not some smoke been seen to rise from the North side of the largest of them.

ST. AIGNAN ISLAND is about 27 miles in length, and is next in order to the N.W. of Renard Islands. Capt. Bristow calls it Eruption Island. It is surrounded by very steep rocks, behind which rise, nearly perpendicularly, very high mountains covered with wood. In the spaces between the more dense parts of the forest several houses were visible, near which were the first inhabitants seen by D'Entrecasteaux on this archipelago. Capt. Abraham Bristow passed here in August, 1808. He procured a quantity of cocoa-nuts. The next day, wishing to procure more supplies, the natives, in great numbers, opposed his proceedings. They showed the utmost indifference to barter. They have amongst them a great quantity of cocoa-nuts, some plantains and yams. They have also hogs and dogs; but are very unwilling to part with them. The island is very steep-to, so that a vessel could not anchor.*

Cape Henry is the eastern point of the island, and is in lat. 10° 41' 15", lon. 152° 55' 54".

De Boyne Islands lie to the West of St. Aignan Island; their North point is in lat. 10° 39′ 5′′, lon. 152° 22′ 20′′.

The portion of the Louisiade which has been described rests upon the single authority of D'Entrecasteaux; but he remarks that there may be many other islands and reefs which escaped his notice, from the fact of the atmosphere being so thick and hazy; otherwise he considered that the positions that were given might be depended on. The currents in the neighbourhood render the navigation the more dangerous, because the various islands composing it are surrounded or connected by reefs, close to which no soundings can be had.

The Bonvouloir Isles lie 30 miles N.W. of the De Boyne; some inhabitants were seen on one of them; they were timid and distrustful; they were unarmed, but threw some yams, bananas, and sweet potatoes on board the Espérance. They were of the negro race. The La Seinie Islands were seen to the westward. Their easternmost is in lat. 10° 27′ 20′′, lon. 151° 20′ 24′′.

D'ENTRECASTEAUX ISLANDS, a range of land, the character of which is very undetermined. Whether it really forms a series of detached lands, or an integral portion of New Guinea (which perhaps is more probable), is as yet undetermined. D'Entrecasteaux only saw the N.E. side, nor did he trace its extent southward or westward.

CAPE PIERSON was the most projecting part of this land. It is placed on M. Vincendon-Dumoulin's chart in lat. 9° 57′ 40′′, lon. 151° 13′ 25′′. The coast here is formed by high mountains, covered with trees, which rise rapidly from the shore, on which some cocoa-nut trees appear here and there. Beyond, or to the West of Cape Pierson, the land trends to the South, forming an extensive bay; the appearance of the land around it is extremely agreeable, being one of the most pleasant countries they had seen. The mountains were intersected in a less uniform manner than those to the East of Cape Pierson. Cocoa-nut trees were seen, even on the highest parts, an evidence of fertility and the capability

Purdy's Tables, p. 104.

of maintaining a numerous population. Several villages were visible. The natives came off in their canoes apparently unarmed, but discharged a shower of stones at the boats of the Espérance, which was stopped by discharging a musket. They gave undoubted evidence of their being cannibals. The coast was found to be very steep-to, and no anchorage. The western shore of the bay extended to N.N.E., terminating in low land.

To the North of this are Goulvain Island and Well Island. These apparently lie in front of a vast bay, beyond which, in the distance, were very high mountains. Well Island, East point, is in lat. 9° 41', lon. 150° 58'. This island is low, and lies off the entrance, the two capes forming the passage being still lower; this circumstance led to the belief that the passage might be very narrow, or barred by a reef, and consequently being open to eastward, would be very difficult to beat out of; it was, therefore, not entered. Off Well Island, to the S.E., breakers extend a considerable distance. In sailing to the northward, the two ships encountered some extensive banks, on the first of which was sufficient water to allow them to cross; but on proceeding farther, and meeting with others, they retraced their route, and left them to the East. To the N.E. of Well Island, 17 miles distant, is a small islet.

Cape Labillardière, lat. 9° 26', lon. 150° 43', forms the North part of one of the principal portions of the land or islands; behind it is some very high land, visible at a very great distance, as Bougainville noticed it off the South coast at 80 miles distant, and D'Entrecasteaux saw it as far off from the northward. Off this cape is Legrand Island, to the West of Laignel Island. To the East of this again is a range of small and very low islands, connected by reefs and sandbanks. Their general direction is nearly North and South. The smallest of these islands was remarkable for a single cocoa-nut tree, which seemed to grow out of the water; on some of the others, which were larger, some small clumps of this tree were growing.

The TROBRIAND ISLANDS are to the North of this. Lagrandière Island, the south-easternmost (S. E. point), is in lat. 8° 52′ 30′′, lon. 151° 9′ 44′′ (D'Urville). They are low, and of considerable extent. Jurien Island is somewhat higher than the others; to the E. by S. of it is Jouveney Island. D'Entrecasteaux passed between them.

Cape Denis is in lat. 8° 24', lon. 151° 1' 24". It is the N.E. point of the Trobriand Islands. Capt. Hunter, of the ship Marshall Bennett, recommends Cape Denis as an excellent place to procure a good supply of yams :-" At this place we procured twelve boat-loads-in fact, as many as we could find room for— of the finest yams I ever saw, in about six or eight hours; the cost being four bundles of iron hooping. And I think this might be depended on from May until December. In trading our boats pulled to the shore, and kept afloat; the natives wading out with the yams. It is better to be thus cautious, as the natives are very numerous, and treachery is a general trait in their character hereabout. For lying off and on there can be no better situation, under the lee of the land in smooth water, and shore steep-to, with no danger visible from the mast-head."*

* Nautical Magazine, January, 1839, p. 38.