THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 887

St. Augustine Island.
The description of these three islets in the South
Pacific Ocean Directory is very meagre and incorrect.
They consist of a coral reef of an extended crescent
form, with the two principal islets on the N. W. and
S.E. horns; a third very small islet lies between
them. Reefs half a mile in extent run off the S.E.
and N.W. extremes of the island. The village is on
the eastern side of the S.E. islet, off which extends a
broad shore reef springing up as a wall of coral from
the depths of the ocean; on this the sea breaks
furiously; at intervals the surf, it is said, subsides so
as to allow European boats to land. The population
is about 450; they have steadily resisted the intro-
duction of missionaries, and are all devil-worshippers,
with an evil reputation for stealing and treachery.

Island is the only permanently inhabited island of
the group. The village is situated on the S.W side
of the island, and is visible at a considerable distance,
being built on a small, flat, coral islet about 200
yards in diameter, separated from the mainland by a
narrow lagoon. A coral wall is built round this islet,
and cocoanut trees grow between the houses. A
shore reef has to be crossed to effect a landing, which
is generally impracticable for European boats. The
natives are in number about 350. They are of good
stature, but exceedingly thin and ugly, all armed
with efficient bows and poisoned arrows; they have
also large war canoes. They were at first shy, but
soon gained confidence and became friendly.

General remarks:-It is to be noted that, when
hove-to off the islands in the Ellice Group, there was
always so strong an equatorial current setting to the
west that it was with great difficulty the ship could
be kept near the land. With the exception of Speiden
or Lynx Island, we found the position of the Ellice
and Mitchell Islands tolerably correct. They are all
low and flat, the tops of the cocoanut trees being
from 60 to 80 feet above the water.

Santa Cruz Island.

It should be noted that the delineation of Carlisle
Bay is incorrect in chart No. 17, Santa Cruz Islands.
It is there represented to be a bay lying north and
south, and so similar to Byron Bay that vessels from
the northward and eastward are liable to mistake the
one for the other, and run past Byron Bay before
finding their error. On no point of bearing can
Carlisle Bay have the appearance of Byron Bay,
as it is represented in D'Urville's Chart; in fact, it
is not a bay, but a lagoon inside a coral reef, entered
by a ship-passage, and may be known by a small
wooded islet on the reef to the westward of the
entrance, also by two or three native houses which
stand on the beach opposite the entrance.

When inside, the lagoon runs away W.S.W., and
apparently forms a perfectly sheltered anchorage for
large vessels, until past the islet referred to above,
when it shoals.

It is a short mile from the west point of Carlisle
Bay to the east point of Byron Bay; good water may
be obtained in Carlisle Bay close to the village. The
fresh water in Byron Bay has been reported not
good, but this can only be the case when the water
is taken too near the beach. About 160 yards of hose
is required, and if led (on a small beaten track) in a
north and south direction through the bush to where
the water is a clear rapid mountain stream, better
water could not be obtained anywhere.

Cherry Island.

The extent of this island in any direction does not
appear more than one mile and a half. The hill,
which rises at its north end to about 350 feet, appears
at a distance bare, but is well cultivated. The spurs
of the hill slope down to a fertile and beautifully
wooded valley, where the natives live in low neat
houses amongst the trees. The population is about
200; they are a very timid, quiet, inoffensive people,
and supplied us liberally with fruits and roots. They
appear to have neither pigs nor fowls. No mission-
aries have as yet been amongst them.

The description of the dangers of this island in the
South Pacific Directory is not correct. It should be
as follows:-At the distance of a mile from its
southern end is a rock a few feet above water, which
is joined to the island by a rocky bank. At a quarter
of a mile outside the above-mentioned rock is an
apparently isolated sunken rock, on which, in rough
weather, the sea breaks heavily.

The "Basilisk" rounded the north end of the
island within 600 or 700 yards, and saw no shoal, the
only danger being a rock off the north end about
300 yards from the bluff. Immediately after passing
the north point, the "Basilisk" came upon a very
extensive coral bank, which was found to extend on
a N.W. bearing from the island for fully four miles,
carrying a depth of from 19 to 12 fathoms (coarse
white sand), the shoal water being the furthest from the
island. On this bank anchorage may be obtained, in
moderate weather, during the season of the S.E.
trades. A long spit appears to extend from the
S.W. side of the island. Landing in a canoe is easy
in moderate weather, but not recommended for Euro-
pean boats.

Vessels, in making the island from the eastward,
are recommended to round the north point; the
landing place is on the west side.

Tapoua, or Edgecumbe Island.

For three or four miles on the N.W. side of the
island the circling coral reef is sunken, with from 1
to 2 fathoms water, upon which the sea does not
break except in heavy weather. Further to the S.W.
the reef becomes awash, and is in some places over
2 miles from the shore. On the west side is a
remarkable indentation or large bay running into
the island. Off this bay (which I have called
Basilisk Harbour, and have the honor to enclose a
rough plan made by us from a running survey), we
found a 4-fathom passage leading into the extensive
lagoon inside, where anchorage may be found when
near the outer reef in from 10 to 14 fathoms; the
water then deepens, and without any apparent danger
carries a depth of 20 to 40 fathoms right into Basilisk
Harbour, which has from 25 to 30 fathoms (sand and
mud) in mid-channel. The distance from the circling
or outside reef to the entrance of Basilisk Harbour
is about two and a half miles, and the entire length
of Basilisk Harbour is about two miles in a N.E. by
E. and S.W. by W. direction, exclusive of the ex-
tensive bays which branch off from its head in a north
and south direction.

The 4-fathom channel through the reef, reported
above, will be found close to the southern spit of the
entrance; but until a proper survey is published, no
ship should attempt it without having most carefully
examined the passage for herself, as patches of coral
rock give uncertain soundings in all directions and
very much embarrass the navigation.

Duff Group.

The "Basilisk" anchored off Disappointment
Island on July 31st, in 10\u00bd fathoms, on the following
bearings:-Village N.E.IN., southern islet E. \u00bc S.,
about one mile and a half from the shore, having 4
fathoms two ship's-lengths further in. With a light
N.E. breeze, the anchor (stream) dragged off this
bank into 100 fathoms, no bottom. Several such
coral banks, with very deep water between them,
were found inside of the anchorage. Disappointment