THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 71

steep, the cultivation being in terraces,
circumference eight to ten miles.
Good landing amongst rocks, summit bear-
ing East.

Island St. Claire or Merigi.
A small rugged Island, about 200 feet
high, inhabited.

Santa Maria or Gaua.
Seen by the Marshall Bennett and supposed
to be a discovery, but evidently one of the
group described by Bligh, named by the
Spanish. This is a very fine Island, upwards
of forty miles in circumference, with an even
surface gradually rising to a height of 700
feet.
The only Island in the group where there
is a likelihood of not being kindly received.

Vannalava.
The largest Island of the group, 60 miles
in circumference; the Western side is a
broken ridge, rising to the height of 1500
feet; the highest part, that to N.W., being
a crater from hot springs, in the vicinity of
which steam is always issuing.
On the East side is a low swampy plain of
some extent, through which run two or three
small rivers, one being a hot stream from
Supretamati, the crater hill.

Port Patteson.
On the East side of Vannalava is a good
harbour discovered by the Bishop of New
Zealand in the year 1857, and named after
Sir J. Patteson, one of the Melanesian Mission
Trustees, and father of the Bishop's Mis-
sionary Chaplain.
Here will be found safe anchorage at all
seasons, with abundance of wood and water.
To make the Port from the Southward with
the usual trade wind, the simplest way for a
stranger would be to run down West of
Sugar Loaf Island until its summit makes as
a perfect cone bearing E. 1/2 N., then steer
W. 1/2 S. until Low Island and Ashwell Bluff
are distinguished.
The Bluff making like an Island, well
wooded and about 200 feet high.
Run boldly down until past the Bluff and
anchor in from 8 to 10 fathoms, a cable's
length from the Big Stone, laying 1/4 mile
inside the Point (Nusa.)
In coming to, remember the wind is
usually off the Bluff, also that you should not
borrow on the lee side of the Bay, as it is
shoal.
When Nusa Point touches the East end of
Low Islands, you will be in 10 fathoms.
Large vessels need not shut in this mark, but
the ground is very steep here, therefore do
not drop anchor until the Points are in one.

Extent, &c.
The holding is good, being dark fine sand,
but the best anchorage does not extend over
more than one-third of a mile.

Beating Out.
Keep on the Bluff side, there is no difficulty
about the Me-at-lu Reef (which extends for
a mile off the Ngusiu Reef) as it is steep
to, and always visible.

Water.
Water is found at Ngusiu Reef (to North
of the reef), there is 1 foot on its bar at low
water, after entering two rivers will be seen,
take the Southern, for the other is Rha Puna
(a hot stream) from Supretamati.
A boat may be filled at highwater from
one or two small streamlets trickling through
the rocks at the Bluff, close to anchorage.

Observations.
It is advisable to obtain these in the morn-
ing, as very soon after noon the cloud of
vapour from Supretamati, quite obscures the
sun.

Nusa Point.
The Southern extreme of Bluff, is in Lat.
13° 48' South. and Lon. 167° 29' East by
meridian distance from "Heralds" position of
Durand's Reef.

Tide in Bay.
H. W. F. & C., VI-40, rise 5 feet. Flood
runs out of Nusa Bay and vice versa.

Grange Point Anchorage.
There is a more open, but fair anchorage
under this point, in the bay at South end of
Port Patteson, and water also at Rhalau a
small stream in the N. W. bight of the same
bay; small vessels might beat close in to this
bight, where the rocks at low water form
almost a natural dock.

Comparison.
Notwithstanding this being the weather
shore, there is always more swell than to lee-
ward, under the Bluff, the swell rolling into
the Port apparently from the north of Amota
(from about E.N.E)

Coast line of Port.
The Southern part of Port Patteson as far
as Spout Point is igneous rock, from thence
to the bight of Nusa Bay, is sand.

Ballast.
Heavy shingle easily obtained in Aoreas
Bay at S.W. side of the Island.

Sugar Loaf Island, or Amota.
A central truncated cove, about 600 feet
high, with a fringing flat ending in cliffs of
50 feet, circumference about 3 leagues.
Very fertile and populous, having upwards
of 150 inhabitants.
Landing, near a sandy beach, summit of
island bearing E.S.E.
Here the Rev. J. C. Patteson spent the
winter of 1860.

Saddle Island, or Valua.
About 600 feet high, with a flat at each
extremity east and west, about 15 miles in
circumference, water under the N E. point.