274

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 16

the patches, and no anchorage in this bay. I called
this Deep Bay. From the western extreme of this
bay the shore trends W.S.W. some eight miles; at
one mile and again at two miles west of Deep Bay,
coral spits run out from the fringe reef for some
three-quarters of a mile; about two miles west of
Deep Bay mangroves commence, and extend some
miles along the shore, and the fringe reef, which
extends all along the shore, widens as it goes west.
The S.W. end of Sandwich I have named Beagle
Point. Between two to three miles E.N.E. of Beagle
Point the fringe reef sweeps out for quite three miles
from the shore, and continuing at that distance till
about south of Beagle Point it turns sharply to the
northward and joins the land about Beagle Point. I
believe this reef is fringe, but I am not sure, I
could not see (from the boat) any deep water inside
it; where it bends to the northward there are several
reef stones above water at high tide, and about these
reef stones the sea was breaking when I saw it. The
two islands shown in the chart off the S.W. end of
Sandwich I have named the larger one Redlands
Island, the smaller one Archway Island. From just
off Redlands Island the reef begins anew, and taking
a barrier formation sweeps out to the southward for
quite three miles; the reef then sweeps round in
a circular shape to N.W., N., and N.E., and keeping
about three miles distant from the islands; when
about N.W. of Archway Island comes direct in and
nearly touches that island; it meets the fringe reef
off that island, however, before it touches it, and goes
off again to the northward for two miles; it then
sweeps round, and approaching Sandwich Island was
lost to sight beyond one of the points of that island.
The opening between the reefs south of Redlands is
perhaps one mile across, and in it and rather to the
westward of the centre is a patch awash, and inside
this patch the opening is so full of detatched patches
that I do not think that anything but a small handy
steamer could get in. If there is a clearer passage
than another, I believe it would be found close to the
reef on the starboard side in entering, but, as I saw
nothing to induce any ship to enter, I did not ex-
amine that part closely, as I wished to reach the
ship before dark. The first sounding I obtained in
clear water was about 1 cable's length off the S.W.
end of Redlands Island; I there got 17 fathoms sand.
Anchorage could be got in 7 to 9 fathoms off the
west shores of Redlands Island, if a ship could
get there, which I doubt. The weather for days pre-
vious had been very calm, and there was only a N.W.
swell; the water broke in patches on the barrier
reef, but from the summit of Archway Island
(20 feet) the reef was plainly discernible, unbroken
in continuity. Archway Island has a natural arch-
way through its N.E. end. A reef extends across
from Redlands to Sandwich Island with, I judge, less
than a fathom of water on it. The opening in the
barrier reef N.W. of Redlands Island seems pretty
clear up to where it joined the fringe reef. On the
N.E. end of Redlands Island is a patch of cocoanut
and bread-fruit trees, and there has been a village
here at some by-gone time. I do not think the south
shore of Sandwich Island is inhabited, though at the
S.W. end I think there is a village, as we saw a
smoke, and on leaving the cocoanuts natives showed
themselves on the opposite shores of Sandwich
Island.
No decided set was noticed amongst the reefs, but
off the south shores of Sandwich Island a set to the
W.S.W. of about three-quarters of a mile per hour
was experienced. The natives here as well as along
the New Ireland coast use catamarans as well as
canoes. A universal sign of friendship along the
coasts of New Ireland, New Hanover, the Sandwich
and Portland Islands was found to be patting the top
of one's head with one's hand. All along the shores
the natives came off in numbers trading mats, taro,
cocoanuts, &c., for hoop-iron and beads: tobacco
seems unknown as yet.

PORTLAND ISLANDS.

The Portland Islands are situated on a reef
which on their E. and N.W. side is but a fringe reef
stretching some 100 yards from the shore. These
islands lie N.E. and S.W. of the S.W. island; the
reef runs out quite two miles, and is, I think, barrier,
but I am not sure of this. The sea was breaking
heavily on this reef when I saw it on 1st October.
Coming from the eastward three low woody islands
are seen all on and, consequently, connected by this
reef, which does not extend more than 100 yards off
the N.E. end of the islands. I landed on the north-
ern island, which is inhabited by apparently a very
quiet lot of natives, for neither in their canoes nor
on shore did I see a weapon of any description.
Landing for boats is to be found close up to the
N.E. end of the N.E. islands in a break of the fringe
reef. No perceptibly strong current was experienced
off these islands. I do not think there are more than
100 inhabitants on this island. In crossing over to
New Hanover a fourth island was seen to the west-
ward of the N.E. island; it was much smaller than
the others, and there may be more not seen by us,
but I do not think so. The fringe reef round these
islands seems steep-to on the eastern side.

REEF OFF NORTH SHORE OF NEW HANOVER.

The chart, in making the reef on the north shores
of New Hanover a fringe reef to the eastward of 150°
east longitude, is decidedly wrong. Beating to the
westward on the 6th October, and being close off the
reef, from the masthead the reef was plainly seen to
be barrier for some distance.

To the westward of the third island from the
easternmost one of the "north islands" a large clear
break takes place in the barrier reef—I suppose half
to three-quarters of a mile wide. Inside it was quite
deep blue water, apparently stretching to the shore,
some two or three miles inside. The shore was fairly
high land, and I should think excellent well-sheltered
anchorage is to be found here. The four eastern-
north islands are on the barrier reef. The third
from the east is a fair-sized islet with many ap-
parently dead trees on it. The fourth (which would
be left on the starboard side entering) is very small
and has a clump of very tall trees on it. I think this
part would repay a close examination.

SANDBANK OFF BOUGANVILLE ISLAND, SOLOMON
GROUP.

A small sandbank lies in lat. 6° 10', long. 154° 32′
30", extent about a quarter of a mile; above high-
water has a tree on its S.E. end, and a reef off that
end also.

MONTAGUE ISLAND, NEW SOUTH WALES
By Marine Board, Sydney.

It is hereby notified that a temporary light will be
shown from the flagstaff on Montague Island, from
sunset to sunrise, which will be visible all round the
horizon at a distance of from six to eight miles, on
and after the night of Monday, the 1st November,
until the permanent light is exhibited.

SOLOMON ISLANDS.
By H.M.S. "Renard."

Rendova Island.—This island has an average length
of eighteen miles and breadth of eight miles. The
east side of the island is steep-to, there being in most