in 1842, and all hands murdered. The articles most in request are tomahawks, adzes, cloth, knives, fish-hooks, and large blue glass beads.*

WOODIN'S CHANNEL.-There is one feature of the coral reefs, which, owing to their peculiar formation, is of some service to the mariner; for, wherever there is any very extensive area covered with coral growth, there is most usually deep-water channels between its various portions. These may be intricate, and even without outlet, yet they will allow a ship, with great care and in fine weather, to traverse spaces at first sight impracticable. Of such a character is the reef off the South end of New Caledonia. Capt. Woodin, the commander of a sandal-wood trader, discovered a passage through the reef. The following is an abstract of his account of it :

"December 1, 1847.-Set sail from the East side of New Caledonia, resolving to find, if possible, a passage between Botany Isle and the South end of New Caledonia, thereby saving a tedious passage round the reef, which extends South of Caledonia. Fortunately I succeeded, and passed through a good channel. with deep water, and but few dangers in the way. On proceeding round, I found the South part of New Caledonia to be an island about 10 miles in extent, with a deep-water channel from shore to shore, and room enough for a frigate to work through. I named it Woodin's Channel, as I believe I was the first person who had navigated a ship round the South end of New Caledonia, inside the reefs.

"In the channel above mentioned there are several deep bays, with abundance of fresh water running down the sides of the mountains close to the beach. Ships could anchor in any of the bays, with 15 fathoms or less, as circumstances may require. I examined the whole of the coast, from Botany Isle to the extent of the channel, in search of sandal-wood, but found none." +

The S.W. coast of New Caledonia is still more dangerous than the N.E., being throughout its entire length bordered by a chain of reefs, which extend from 4 to 8 miles from the land. The S.W. winds, which blow strongly, and are the most prevalent here, render it still more to be avoided, because there is but one known point which will afford shelter.

PORT ST. VINCENT, the harbour referred to, was overlooked by D'Entrecasteaux, who only saw the opening. Being at a distance, he thought he might be mistaken, and so marked it on his chart Havre Trompeur. Capt. Kent discovered its capabilities in 1793, and called it Port St. Vincent; its entrance is in lat. 22° 10', lon. 165° 55′ E. It has been described by this gentleman, as formed by islands, many of them of considerable size, and situated about 4 miles within the coral reef that extends along the S.W. coast, at a varying distance of 4 to 8 miles. This reef constitutes a wall to seaward, which is level with the

Nautical Magazine, October, 1848, pp. 513-4. Capt. Woodin states that the natives are not generally hostile to Europeans, for in many parts of the island he has, with his own boat's crew, been treated with great kindness, without the means of making them any return; and on some occasions, with as much as could be expected from his own countrymen, or perhaps more so. Perhaps in many of the sad instances recorded of ferocity and vindictiveness the white man has been the aggressor. Yet still these savages, for such they really are, ought never to be trusted.

+ Sydney Herald, March 30, 1848. Capt. Woodin learnt here that part of a ship's crew had been cut off in a bay in this channel; this was without provocation from the seamen. The ship, the Vanguard, had procured sandal-wood here.

water's edge, and so steep that no soundings can be found, in most parts, with a line of 150 fathoms.

The entrance of the harbour, three-quarters of a mile wide, is formed by a break in the reefs, and has in the middle 51 fathoms. The heads of the port, in the passage within, are on two isles, now called King's and Paterson's Islands. This passage is about a quarter of a mile wide, and its depth in mid-channel is 19 fathoms.

To ships sailing in and out of the harbour, the general wind, at S.E., will be upon the beam; but, should it incline more easterly off the land, there will be no danger in going in: for, by passing within a cable's length of the S.E. point of the reef, and getting within it, a vessel may anchor in 10 or 12 fathoms, muddy bottom, well sheltered, with the water perfectly smooth. Within the two points. of the reef, the channel widens to the south-eastward, between the reef and King's Island, and there is plenty of room for working in the largest ship, to the heads of the harbour, if the wind be not over strong. Within the heads there is anchorage in from 10 fathoms decreasing, in perfect security. Tide rises 5 or 6 feet; high water, 8h 15'; variation, 11° E. The harbour abounds with fish, with great quantities of shell-fish on the reefs and shores. The islands are high and rocky, but covered in many parts with fine grass; on some of them many human bones were seen. The natives often visited the people of the Buffalo, bringing with them spears, clubs, fishing-nets, fish, yams, and sugar-canes.

In the passage between Robbin's and King's Islands, on the South side of the middle ground, there is plenty of water for any ship, and S. E. of this passage there are a number of islands, forming, perhaps, many harbours equal to Port St. Vincent. Between Paterson's and Round Islands there is a passage to the N.W., and there are a few islands in that direction; but this passage seems not to have depth sufficient for a large ship. It is to be observed that all the islands here mentioned are within the coral reef, against the shore of New Caledonia.*

Of the S.W. coast we have no detailed particulars. The shore reef does not appear to have any opening, and only here and there a low sand island on it. The coast is apparently irregular, and in D'Entrecasteaux's chart the principal feature marked is Point Goulvain, in lat. 21° 46′ S., lon. 165° 28' E. Here the reef is not more than half a league broad. Proceeding farther, a sand island, in the form of a crescent, facing the West, is marked in lat. 21° 35' S., lon. 165° 8' E. From this the reef commences to get wider; and in lat. 21° 29′, lon. 164° 57', is the Ile des Contrarietés, on a projection of the reef which extends 10 miles off the land. It continues to be of this breadth, having an irregular sea-face, to the N.W. extremity of New Caledonia. Cape Deverd is noticed, in lat. 20° 51', lon. 164° 18' E.

CAPE TONNERRE is the N.W. point of the main island, and is in lat.

The water which was procured on Robbin's Island was not very good, but there is probably some in other places, as the surrounding land is generally very high, and there is evidence, by the chasms in some parts of it, that torrents of rain must fall at some seasons of the year. The trees about the harbour are small, but in the valleys, between the mountains, they appeared large, and the canoes are made out of the larger ones. In order to make Port St. Vincent in search of water, or for any other reason, the edge of the reef should be made to the southward, and then coast it up to the northward till the entrance is found.-Oriental Navigator; Purdy's Tables, p. 94; Quarterly Review, No. 5; and Dalrymple's Collection for the Chart.

20° 24' S., lon. 164° 0', and the mountain range which extends through New Caledonia here becomes broken into a range of islands, surrounded by coral reefs. D'Entrecasteaux, in the account of his first examination, says:—“At seven in the morning, June 29th, 1792, we saw from N.N.E. to E.N.E. several mountainous islands, and some detached rocks, which render this extremity of New Caledonia still more dangerous than the South side of it. Some of these islets are several hundred fathoms in extent. A great number of rocks, of a black colour, raise their points above the water; washed by a sea scarcely ruffled, these rocks seem to be in motion, and at first sight they might be taken for canoes riding upon the waves. It was soon discovered that these islets are numerous, for from the mast-head they were discerned as far as the eye could reach. They are surrounded by reefs, in the midst of which the sea assumes the tint of the reddish sand that covers the bottom. We reconnoitred them closely, and about eleven o'clock we were about 2 miles to the southward of one of these little islands, when we perceived breakers, which stretched off from its western point, and extended out of sight to W.N.W.

"On the 30th we discovered to the eastward a few islets, which seem to terminate this archipelago. Their height gradually diminished in proportion to their distance from New Caledonia; they seem to be a continuation of the mountains of that large island, the bases of which, covered by the sea, rise here and there to form so many islets. The gradual diminution of the height of these mountains must induce a presumption that there are hereabouts, even to a great distance, shoals, which increase the danger of navigating these seas, a conjecture not without foundation." The islands which D'Entrecasteaux saw here he named Moulin, Reconnaissance, Lebert, and Sandy. Of course his cursory examination will only suffice to warn the navigator from approaching them.

D'ENTRECASTEAUX or BOND'S REEF lies to the northward of the reefs which have just been alluded to. The French admiral thought that he had doubled the northern extremity when he made the small island (Surprise Island) -small, low, and covered with very bushy trees, and not more than 3 miles in circumference-which lies on its South end. It was in the same year, 1792, that Capt. Henry Bond made the first attempt of the great eastern passage to China, in the Royal Admiral, and discovered the North end of this detached portion of the reef. His journal of it runs thus :-" November 28th, 1792. At seven A.M., we could plainly see a long, low, woody island 4 leagues to the eastward of the breakers. The reef appeared from the point to be of considerable breadth, made up of islets, rocks, &c. It is the most dangerous shoal I ever beheld, and the water is so very smooth, owing no doubt to its eastern extent, that a ship might be on the reef presently, and almost with the best lookout." This effect of the reef in quieting the long ocean swell to leeward is an indication of when this extremity is doubled.

Capt. D'Urville, in the Astrolabe, has fixed more precisely the northern end of this dangerous shoal. He passed within 4 miles of its North point, June 22nd, 1827, and found that it formed a bay 6 miles deep and 13 wide at this extremity.

• D'Entrecasteaux, tome i. p. 222, et seq.

+ Oriental Navigator, p. 686.

The little Huon Island, low, wooded, and a mile in circuit, is the only part of this reef which rises above the water. At 2 miles to the West of this islet the reef runs almost directly North for the space of 9 miles, and terminates in a narrow point, on which are some bare rocks only a few feet above the water level. One of these, 15 or 20 feet high, is more remarkable than the others, and the reef does not extend more than a mile North of it. Numerous birds frequent these rocks and breakers. The positions of this and of D'Entrecasteaux Reef, as ascertained by D'Urville, are-the N.E. point, lat. 17° 59′ 7′′ S., lon. 162° 55′ 14′′; and the N.W. point of the reef, lat. 17° 52′ 40′′ S., lon. 162° 41′ 47′′ E.*

The CURRENT.-D'Urville found that he was set 34 miles in twenty-four hours to the N.N.W. by it when off the northern part-a warning to all commanders in this part of the Pacific.

The NORTH-EASTERN COAST is not very amply described. There are two French missions on it, thus described :

-

MAHAMATE, the BALADE of D'Entrecasteaux, is safe, and the holding ground good; strong winds from the West only throw in any sea; the greater part of the reefs uncovered at low water. The church steeple of the French mission is the best mark for it, and is visible afar off. A cross erected on the Observatory or Poudioué Islet is also a good mark, but cannot be seen at a long distance. Again, beyond Hienguène there are no beaches visible behind the reefs, beside that to the West of Mahamate, you may be sure that you are at the latter instead of that of Ponebo. After having reached the pass of Mahamate you must not approach too near the larboard side, or you may be taken up by the coral banks to the North of Poudioué. Therefore you should not serrer le vent until you have brought the cross to the left of the village. The River Baiao is accessible at half tide, and water is easily got at a rivulet flowing past the mission. High water, 7 and 6 15'; rise at springs, 4 feet, 6 inches; var. 11° 5′ E.‡

PORT PONEBO is somewhat difficult to make on account of the uniformity of the crest of the mountains; the Island of Hienguène, or the Cascades, will therefore, perhaps, be the best. The safest anchorage outside is the West point of the Pouma Reef, which is sheltered from the prevalent E.S.E. winds. There are no leading marks, therefore a vessel will do well to wait for low water, or be piloted in by two boats. Within it is small, but will let the largest ship lie in it for repairs. The river is accessible for boats as far as the French mission. High water, full and change, 6 15', rise 4 feet.

CAPE COLNETT was the first land of New Caledonia seen by Capt. Cook, and is in lat. 20° 29' S., according to Cook; lon. 164° 44′, according to D'Entre

casteaux.

CAPE CORONATION is in lat. 22° 2' S., lon. 167° 47' E. There are some rocks off it. The coast here trends to the S.E., a few leagues to Cape Queen

• Voyage de L'Astrolabe, Histoire, tome iv. pp. 479-80.

+ Cook stayed here in 1774, and observed an eclipse of the sun on the 6th of September. The small island where he fixed his astronomical instruments, called by him Observatory Island, is in lat. 20° 17′ 39′′ S., Ion. 164° 25′ E. On D'Entrecasteaux's chart it is called Bouguioué; and it was on this island that Capt. Huon, who commanded the French frigate Recherche, D'Entrecasteaux's consort, was buried during their stay here.

Annales Hydrographique, 1849, p. 389.

Charlotte, before described. In the interval between these two points there is an excellent harbour, according to Mr. Morgan, of the missionary bark John Williams. It is a good place for heaving a vessel down, and possesses also the advantage of a good entrance, with abundance of fresh water.

LOYALTY ISLANDS

This group, it is said, was discovered by Capt. Butler, in the Walpole, in 1800, or, according to others, in the Britannia, in 1803. Whenever the real discovery was made, it is certain that nothing was known of them until D'Urville's examination of the group in 1827. Since that period, however, they have been frequented by trading vessels, and also have had some Roman Catholic missionaries established.

The Loyalty Islands, according to D'Urville, consist of three principal islands: Britannia (the Uea or Mingavi of the natives); Chabrol (Lifu or Wetsi); and Halgan (Onea or Hioe), the northernmost. Besides these there are numerous smaller groups around, and two considerable islands, Mari and Burrow's Islands, discovered in 1841 and 1842, to the southward.

D'Urville intended to have made a subsequent examination of their western sides, but did not; therefore his discovery, for discovery it must be taken, did not extend to the northward of lat. 21° 37' S. He came hither in a direct course from Erronan, making Cape Coster, on Britannia Island, his landfall, thereby not seeing the two southern islands hereafter first described. It must be stated, however, that the data of these islands do not rest on the same undoubted authority that the French examinations do.

BURROW'S ISLAND.-We know no more of this island than is contained in the newspaper notice of it following:

"The Pearl, arrived in the Downs from China (September 12, 1842), reports, on her passage from Sydney to Manilla, having, on the 24th of September, discovered an island not laid down in the charts; it lies in lat. 21° 59′ S., lon., by good chronometers, 168° 30′ E.; it is a fine-looking island, well wooded, with cocoa-nut trees close to the beach. At noon we were within 3 miles of the East point, which is in the middle of the island; off the point a reef projects about a mile to seaward; the island stretches in a N. by E. direction 20 to 25 miles. The captain, supposing it to be a new discovery, named it Burrow's Island. Two days after we made the Island Erromanga, which proved the chronometers to be correct. After we got to the northward of the N.E. point, we saw land stretching a great distance to the N.W.; it appeared to be detached from the first island, but night coming on we could not ascertain."

MARI ISLAND is a new discovery by the sandal-wood vessels in 1841. The N.E. end of it is situated in lat. 21° 21′ S., lon. 168° 33′ E., and the S.W. end in lat. 21° 37' S., lon. 168° 22′ E. It is about 20 miles in length from N.E. to S.W., and 10 miles in breadth. It has no harbours, but anchorage may be got near the shore in some places. The island is of coral formation, elevation about 250 feet, thickly wooded and quite level.

The Times journal.