THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 163

N. by E. E. from Nimanu, to which it is similar in |
The interior of the main lagoon seemed to be patchy,
size and appearence, but not quite so high; it is well | but little could be distinguished from the mast-head
wooded; on the western side there is a small bight | of the "Southern Cross."
with a steep white beach; from this there appeared | The current was found setting to the south-west
to be communication with the nearest part of Lomlom, | along the north side of reef, and overfalls were ex-
the next island, about three quarters of a mile distant. | perienced off its western point.

Lomlom runs E.N.E. and W.S.W. about 5 miles | Matéma, the only island on the southern side of the
long by 1¼ broad; it is from 150 to 250 feet high, and | great reef, lies about midway between Lomlom island
forms with another island whose name is unknown, a | and the west point, being nearly 6 miles on a W. by
smooth water bay open to the northward, the shores | N. bearing from the southern extreme of the Lomlom
of which are composed of rough beaches fringed with | reef. It is a small island, 100 feet high, shaped like
narrow reefs. Lomlom appears to be clear of dangers | a boot, inhabited, (the landing being on the western
except off its south-west extreme, where a reef | side,) and surrounded by a reef which extends about
extends about S.S.W. for 1½ mile; the reef then | one third of a mile from the coast. There is ap-
trends to the northward towards the second island, | parently a narrow passage between this island and
with several large rocks or islets within its edge. | the middle coral patch of the main reef.

The second island is similar to Lomlom in size, | Nukapu lies to the north-west of the great reef,
running north and south 4½ miles long by less than | and bears W.N.W. about 8 miles from the Sand Islet;
it is narrow, about 120 feet high, and nearly one mile
one mile wide, and between 100 and 200 feet high; | long, N. by W. and S. by E., with a low termination
the weather or eastern side is bold, and from a bluff | to the southward, where appeared to be the villages;
on the north-east coast commences an extensive coral | a reef encircles the island, passing close to its eastern
reef, trending first N.W. for about 4 miles to Nivluli, | shore, but extending about 1¼ mile from its western
the next island, (which it surrounds,) and then runs | side.
about W.S.W. for nearly 13 miles. The villages on | Anologo and Nupani, the western islands of the
these islands are probably situated inland, or on the | Matèma group, are similar to Nukapu in size and
eastern side which faces the lagoon, as only one hut | shape; they are surrounded by an extensive and
resembling a boat house was seen from the sea. | irregularly shaped reef, which, passing close to their

Nivluli lies about one mile from the second island | eastern sides, stretches out to the south-west for
of Lomlom, and is a mile long N.W. and S.E., and | nearly 3 miles from Anologo, the southern of the two
120 feet high. The reef runs close round its north- | islands.
east side, and then trends to the west and south-west | Anologo lies W. ¾ S. about 17 miles from Nukapu,
for about 2 miles, forming a bay with a low rock on | running East and West about one mile long; it is
the edge; a small round islet about 35 feet high lies | nearly 120 feet high, and is situated in the eastern,
half a mile within the reef. From the rock the reef | angle of the reef surrounding the two islands.
runs to the westward. | Nupani lies N. W. ½ N. about 2 miles from Anologo,

Pileni, the next island westward of Nivluli, from | the reef forming a bight between; it runs north and
which it is distant 3 miles, runs N.W. and S.E. about | south about one mile long, and 120 feet high, the
one mile in length; it is about 100 feet high, and there | northern point being in 'lat. 10° 4' S., long. 165° 40' É.
is a village on its south-west point. Pileni lies | The reef passes close along the 'east and north sides
outside the great lagoon, but is surrounded by a | of Nupani, from whence it trends to the westward
reef, which passing close round its eastern side extends | for half a mile, then sweeps round to the southward
about three quarters of a mile to the south-west from | and eastward for 2 miles, from whence it stretches
its western shore; there is apparently a deep water | out to the south-west, forming a large and dangerous
channel between the main and the Pileni reefs. | bight of smooth water nearly 4 miles between the

Sand Islet is merely what its name indicates; it is | horns. This south-west angle of the reef which
small, about 10 feet above water, and without vege- | breaks lies S. by W. 3½ miles from Nupani, S. W. 2½
tation, the natives resorting to it only to fish. This | miles from Anologo, and is in lat. 10° 8'S., long. 165°
islet lies on the western side of an oval ring of coral, | 39' E. From this point the reef runs East 2 miles
about one mile long, N.N.W. and S.S.E., similar to | to its south-east extreme, which lies South, distant
that of Pileni, and also without the main lagoon, and | 1 mile from Anologo; the sea breaks heavily along
is the only example in this group of the reef extend- | this part of the reef.
ing to windward of the land to which it is attached. |

There is a clear space of 1½ mile between this reef | ## NEW HEBRIDES.
and that of Pileni, and also a deep water channel of | (Variation 9° 40' Easterly in 1869.)
three quarters of a mile between it and the edge of | Paama, one of the southern islands of the New
the main reef. | Hebrides, lies North and South, about 5 miles long by

The Great Reef. From the Sand Islet the western | 1½ broad; its height ranges from 1,700 to 1,900 feet,
entrance of the main lagoon bears nearly S.W., | presenting an uniform outline from a distant offing.
distant about 6½ miles. This extreme lies in lat. 10° | The appromixate position of the southern point
14' S., long. 166° E.; from it Tinakula bore S.W. ¼ | (with reference to the neighbouring island) is lat.
W., 17 miles, the eastern high land of Santa Cruz S. by | 16° 30' S., long. 168° 10' E., and it lies 3 miles from
E. ¾ E. 28 miles, and Nukapu N. by W. ¾ W. 7 miles. | Duana Point, the north-west extreme of Api or Tasiko

From this extreme the reef trends sharp round to the | island. The eastern side of Paama appears from the
eastward, forming the north side of an apparently | offing to be clear of dangers and steep-to; it is bold,
deep water entrance to the lagoon, between the west | coming steep down from the ranges.
point and the south-west patch, a reef about 2 miles | Close off the south point lie a cluster of rocks, the
long, lying S.E. by E. 3 miles from the point. | largest of which is known as the Nine-pin; the whole

Eastward of the south-west patch, with an ap- | are encircled by a reef extending about a quarter of
parently deep water channel 1½ mile wide between | a mile from the shore. This reef shelters a small
them, lies another narrow patch of coral nearly 3 | bight with a rough stony beach lying westward of
miles long; between this and the reef from Lomlom | south point; the slopes of the hills above this bight
Island is a third patch, the channels on either side | were cultivated. Half a mile westward of the reef
into the main lagoon appearing to be deep, and | a discoloured patch was seen, but it was not examined.
apparently leading to a secure anchorage under the | From south point the cost trends to the north-west
lee of the northern Lomlom Island, the coast of which | for 1 mile, with rough beaches and fringing reefs,