lon. 165° 59′ E. (N.W. point of the reef). They consist of three small low islands, covered with cocoa-nut trees, and surrounded by a coral reef, which extends from the islands some distance to the N.W. and North. The largest island is at present inhabited by natives of Britannia Island.

The ASTROLABE REEFS nearly proved fatal to D'Urville's ship, as Beautemps Beaupré Islands had to D'Entrecasteaux's, and Vanikoro really did to La Pérouse, a singular coincidence as to locality, and a great evidence of the danger of the navigation in these parts. The reefs in question are more to be dreaded from their distance from the land, being 30 miles from Beaupré Islands, and 60 miles from the nearest point of New Caledonia.

The southernmost of them may be about 4 or 5 miles from North to South, but its South end was not seen. At the North extremity is a sandy islet, nearly level with the water, which may in course of time become covered with vegetation. The northernmost of these reefs is 5 leagues distant from the other, and 6 or 7 miles from North to South. D'Urville thought that they might be connected by a chain more to the S. W., so as to form a horse-shoe shaped reef. This supposition has been verified by the discovery, in October, 1842, of a dangerous coral reef, one mile in extent, in lat. 19° 55′ S., lon. 165° 25′ E. The North point of the Astrolabe Reefs is in lat. 19° 40′ 20′′, lon. 165° 26′ 24′′ E.*

SIMPSON REEF is a danger lying between the Loyalty Islands and New Caledonia, and was discovered by Capt. T. B. Simpson, in 1846. It is of large extent; the position he assigns to it is lat. 21° 30' S., lon. 166° 50′ E.

PETRIE REEF, in lat. 18° 35', lon. 164° 22' (N.E. extreme), although not connected with the foregoing, may be taken as part of the same chain of dangers. It was discovered, March 16th, 1835, by Lieutenant Peter Petrie, R.N., in the bark Betsy (hence it is sometimes called Betsy Reef). No part appeared above water, but just awash, extending 8 miles S.E. and N.W. The East side is steep-to; but the western side seemed to have shallow water running off nearly 8 miles from the N.W. end. In moderate weather the breakers give but little warning.t

VASQUEZ ISLAND was discovered by Maurelle, March 27, 1781. He states that it is 4 leagues from N. to S. He places it 7° 19′ E. of Pylstaart's Island, which (though doubtful) will give its longitude as 177° 41′ E. Its latitude Maurelle gives as 24° 44′ S. The island has not been seen since its first discovery by Maurelle, whose longitudes being so much in error, the position may be wrongly stated. Added to this, Admiral Krusenstern, in discussing its position, has made the error of adding, instead of subtracting, the correction. The island has appeared in a very different position to that originally assigned to it. It may consequently yet be found 7° or 8° West of its place on the charts.

ROSARETTA SHOAL.-This is a dangerous shoal, on which the Rosaretta, a prize belonging to H.M.S. Cornwallis, was wrecked on her passage from Pisco,

• Voyage de L'Astrolabe, vol. iv. pp. 476-7; Nautical Magazine, 1848, p. 514. Nautical Magazine, No. 56, 1836, p. 625. + See Krusenstern, vol. i. pp. 26-7.

in Peru, to Port Jackson in 1807. It is composed of hard, coarse sand and coral. From the distressed situation of Mr. Garland, the prize-master, its extent could not be ascertained. The position first assigned to it was lat. 30° 10' S., lon. 173° 45′ E.* Another reef that broke, it is stated in Arrowsmith's chart, was discovered in 1811, in lat. 30° 25′, and lon. 180° 45′ E., or 5° more to the East. With regard to the latter, it does not exist in this situation, for it was unsuccessfully sought for by Capt. Wilkes.†

A BANK of sand, small black stones, and corals, was sounded and dredged on by Sir James Ross, in lat. 33° 32′ S., lon. 167° 40′ E., about 220 miles N. 80° W. from the Three Kings. The depth in it was four hundred fathoms, a singular fact.-(August 11th, 1841.)‡

NORFOLK ISLAND was discovered October 10th, 1774, by Capt. Cook. It forms a portion of the British colony of New South Wales, and has done so from its earliest date as a settlement.

It is a beautiful island; all early visitors speak loudly in its praises. It was said of Norfolk Island, in 1798, that it had arrived at a state yet more flourishing than Port Jackson, "the air being more soft, and the soil inexpressively productive. It is a perfect image of paradise. Our officers and their ladies, while they never regret their absence from Old England, were very sensibly affected at their departure from their insular garden, and at their banishment to Sydney."

It was then abandoned by the government, but subsequently was again formed into a penal settlement, for doubly-convicted and the more important felons from the colony of New South Wales. Thus its new population forms a frightful contrast to the natural beauties of the place.

Norfolk Island, says an "officer on the spot" in 1847, is by nature a paradise, endowed with the choicest gifts of climate, scenery, and vegetable productions; by art, society, or policy, a hell, disfigured by crime, loathsome vice, and misery.§ This sad picture is allowed by all to be too true.

Other authorities must be sought for the history of this unique colony.

The ensuing brief remarks are gathered from Capt. Maconochie's Report ;|| the Survey in 1840, published by Mr. John Arrowsmith; and the remarks in the United Service Journal, 1847 and 1849; the last of which will be found very interesting.

In 1829 Colonel Morrissett was civil superintendent. During the next five years it is said that outrages of every description were of frequent occurrence, and many of the South Sea Islands have to deplore the escapes which then were effected by the convicts. In 1834 Major Anderson relieved Colonel Morrissett; and after five years Major Bunbury and Major Ryan held the office for a year; and in March, 1840, the respected Capt. Maconochie, R.N., K.H., well known

Purdy's Tables, p. 92.

+ Narrative of the United States' Exploring Expedition, vol. iii. p. 5.

Sir James Ross, Voyage of the Erebus and Terror, vol. ii. p. 54.

Twelve Months on Norfolk Island, United Service Journal, 1847 and 1849.

Report of British Association, Transactions, 1844, pp. 57-8.

in connexion with the London Royal Geographical Society, undertook the office of introducing a system of management of the convicts. This system has been so fiercely discussed, that it will be needless to enter into details. This lasted till February, 1844, when Capt. Maconochie was relieved as superintendent by Major Childs.

The group, of which Norfolk Island is the principal, is 900 miles E.N.E. from Sydney, and 1,350 miles N.E. from Cape Pillar, in Van Diemen's Land. Norfolk and Philip Islands, the largest of the group, are about 3 miles distant from each other; and about a dozen others, the Nepean and Bird Islands, are little more than dry rocks distributed among them.

NORFOLK ISLAND is not quite 5 miles long, with a medium breadth of about 2 miles, and is said to be 8,960 acres ; its greatest elevation is the double summit of Mount Pitt, 1,050 feet high. It stands on the N.W. corner of the island. The ascent to it is in parts very steep, but practicable for a horse. At the summit is a flagstaff and semaphore, with a hut formerly occupied by the lookout men, but in recent times abandoned, and in a most dilapidated state. The entire island, with the exception of the settlement, may be seen from hence. Its sea front is high and precipitous, presenting cliffs of 200 and 250 feet in height; and the small streams which occupy the ravines in winter fall in cascades, 30 or 50 feet high, into the sea.

There are but two or three spots where landing is practicable, one at the settlement, another at Cascade, on the North side of the island. Even at the settlement the danger is often very great, owing to the "Bar," or reef of rocks, the extremity of which boats have to round in order to reach a rude wharf. The accomplishment of this feat is perilous whenever there is a sea or ground swell rolling in from the S.W. The position of this entrance over the bar is shown by two trees on Nepean Island in one.

Sydney Bay, between Nepean Island and Point Ross, lies at the South side of the island, and the SETTLEMENT lies at the head of it. As may be supposed, this is only adapted to the circumstances of the island, and does not invite the passing stranger. It is sometimes called KINGSTON.

Among the buildings the capacious jail and barracks are distinguished, the latter erected in 1835. These, with the government house, may be said to be the * only ornamental buildings in the settlement. The latter is a spacious dwelling, situated advantageously on a gentle eminence, rising about 50 feet above the adjoining level. Nearer the shore extend the prisoners' barracks and hospital, workshops, and huts for the overseers. A solitary windmill on a rocky point completes the list of buildings on the settlement.

Besides this locality there are two other stations for convicts, one at Longridge, about 1 miles distant, and another at Cuscade, on the North side. This latter has a neat and cheerful appearance compared with the settlement.

PHILIP ISLAND, named in honour of Arthur Philip, first governor of New South Wales, is about 1 miles long, with an average breadth of three-fourths of a mile; it bears S. 20° E. by compass, 3 miles from the landing-place at Sydney Bay. Its most elevated part, a remarkable peak on its South side, is probably 200 or 300 feet less than that of Norfolk Island. It is everywhere precipitous,

furrowed by deep channels, and densely wooded, though the timber is small and of little value. At half a mile to the South of it there is a rock always above water. Nepean Island is in lat. 29° 2' S., lon. 167° 48′ E. This island lies half a mile off the land, and for a larger portion of the passage between there are a number of detached rocky banks. The channel is close to the reefs on the North side, and has a depth of 4 and 5 fathoms. N.E. by N. of Nepean Island, for a considerable distance, is a bank of sand and mud.

Nepean Island rises to the height of 50 feet; it is a quarter of a mile long, and of a horse-shoe shape, open to the East. No water has been found in it, and its vegetation has within the last few years almost disappeared, owing to a colony of rabbits, which, having destroyed everything edible, have now themselves perished. It is reported that, in 1793, this island was only a boat's length from Norfolk Island, but that, in 1797, two severe earthquake shocks were experienced, by the second of which the nearer point of Nepean Island was submerged, and the channel altered to its present form.

Point Ross is the southernmost point of Norfolk Island, and the S.W. point of Sydney Bay; to the East of it, as far as the bottom of the bay, the rocky banks extend a long distance off the shore, and the sea breaks all across them in a S.W. gale, or heavy surf.

The tide flows, full and change, at 73, and rises from 5 to 7 feet. The flood runs to the S.W. by S., and ebb to the N.E. by N. The tide makes two hours sooner on the Norfolk Island shore than in the stream and over towards Philip Island, and is sometimes irregular, but in general equal. Ebbs and flows regularly by the shore, six hours each tide ;* variation, 11° 18′ E., dip, 54° 53′.

ELIZABETH REEF, called also SERING APATAM REEF, was discovered by the ships Claudine and Marquis of Hastings, May 16th, 1820. It appeared to be of a quadrangular form, about 3 miles in circuit, with deep water in the centre, the edges of which, with the exception of a few rocks like Negro heads, are covered, and the sea runs high over them. The East side of the reef extends N.N.E. and S.S.W. about a mile; but the greatest extent appeared to be from W.N.W. to E.S.E. The position of this reef, according to Capt. Horsburgh, from whom the preceding is quoted, is lat. 30° 5' S., lon. 159° 0′ E.+

ELIZA REEF.-The Eliza, of London, was wrecked on a reef in 1831, lat. 29° 30′ S., lon. 158° 30′ E. By the observations of the Fairy cutter, sent from Sydney to examine the wreck, it may be identical with Middleton Reef.

MIDDLETON ISLAND and SHOAL.-Capt. Flinders has placed this island in lat. 27° 58' S., lon. 160° 31′ E. In Mr. Purdy's Tables of Positions it is lon. 159° 30'. The position is open to some doubt, because Capt. Flinders, a short time before his decease, informed Mr. Purdy that he could not say with any certainty where it should be placed. The island is very high, with a remarkable peak.

• Purdy's Tables, p. 92.

+ Horsburgh, vol. ii. p. 668.

Purdy's Tables to Oriental Navigator, p. 87.

Middleton Shoal is placed by Flinders in lat. 29° 14′ S., lon. 158° 53′ E. An extensive reef, about 3 leagues in length, was seen in July, 1815, by the Indefatigable, supposed to be Middleton Reef; but their chronometer being incorrect, its longitude was not ascertained.

An ISLAND is placed by Lieutenant Raper in lat. 31° 19' S., lon. 160° 42′ E.; position doubtful.

FAVORITE SHOAL, also doubtful, in lat. 26° 6' S., lon. 160° 0' E.

A Rock in lat. 24° 0' S., lon. 160° 15′ E.

CAPEL BANK, discovered by H.M.S. Hyacinth, June 8, 1835. The first soundings were in 37, 38, and 35 fathoms, over an area of considerable extent. The boats sailed in a N.N.W. direction for 2 miles, and sounded in 34 and 32 fathoms, which was the least water found; bottom of red and white coral. The extent was not ascertained. The first soundings on the N.E. side, in lat. 25° 14′51′′ S., lon. 159° 18′ 15′′ E. It was named after the commander-in-chief †

The space comprised between the western shore of New Caledonia and that of Australia, and South of the Solomon Islands and the Louisiade Archipelago, is bestrewed with an infinity of dangers. To this area, from its character, Flinders has proposed the very appropriate title of the CORAL SEA. As the navigation of this part of the Pacific more immediately refers to that between New South Wales and Torres Strait, &c., we will include all necessary notices of it in an ensuing section.

CHAPTER XXIII.

LOW ARCHIPELAGO, OR PAAMUTO GROUP.

THIS vast collection of coral islands, one of the wonders of the Pacific, extends over 16 degrees of longitude, without taking into consideration the detached islands to the S.E. of it. They are all of them of similar character, and exhibit very great sameness in their features. When they are seen at a distance, which is not great, on account of their lowness, the aspect is one of surpassing beauty, if the dry part of the island or belt is sufficiently covered with trees: but much of this beauty is dispelled on a nearer approach, as the vegetation is usually found to be scanty and wiry. Their ordinary and distinctive features will be sufficiently adverted to in the detailed descriptions ensuing.

+ Nautical Magazine, February, 1836, p. 65.

* Horsburgh, vol. ii. p. 668.