May 22.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 847

Beacon: A beacon has been placed on the shoal situated 1½ cables S. ½ W. from the southern flagstaff on Ejeet Island, and when a vessel is observed in the lagoon towards sunset a light is placed on it by the traders.

Caution: There is no passage on the east side of the atoll. Vessels have frequently lost considerable time looking for this entrance. The openings between the islands are only fit for canoes.

Jaluit (Bonham Island).—The north shoal in Jaluit anchorage is now marked by a small buoy, which, however, does not watch at high-water springs; the southern shoal has a small stick on it, and dries at low-water springs. Both shoals are easy to see.

Vessels can be supplied here with fresh water.

Anchorage: The north-west point of the island with the trading station on it, bearing N. 27° E. distant 3 cables, is that recommended.

Near the time of spring tides the stream runs in the south-east passage with great strength. There is a south-west passage into the lagoon, usually called “Barrossa Passage,” through which sailing-vessels go out; it bears from the anchorage off Hernsheim and Co.’s premises S. 53° W.

Coal: In 1883 there were 1,000 tons of coal stored here.

Namorik (Baring Islands).—These islands are flat and about 50 feet in height. Houses were seen on the west side, and the fringing reef is strewn with large black boulders. The south point was found to be in lat. 5° 35′ N., long. 168° 6′ E. There is no anchorage.

Winds and Weather.—In June the wind, which was usually a little to the northward of east, and always had easting in it, was almost invariably light. Squalls, though on some days frequent, were not heavy. They often occasioned a shift of wind, and were not uncommonly followed by a short period of nearly dead calm. Sharp squalls, however, must be looked for now and then. Just before the arrival of the “Espiègle” at Jaluit there had been a sudden and violent squall from the westward. Much rain was experienced by the “Espiègle,” and on some days very dull weather, which rendered navigation amongst the coral reefs a difficult matter.

Currents.—In general, easterly currents of less than one knot an hour were experienced.

CAROLINE ISLANDS.

Rainy weather, light variable winds with easting in them, and, as a rule, moderate easterly currents were experienced between the Marshall and Caroline islands.

Kusaie (Ualan Island): Chabrol Harbour.—The muddy bottom of this harbour, though affording good holding ground, renders the water turbid; still with a good sun the shoals can be seen. D’Urville Point is not apparently the east extreme of Lelè Island. A small islet seems to have been formed of sand on the neighbouring strip of reef, and to have become joined to the base of the promontory at D’Urville Point.

Ponapè Island: Port Metalamin.—The three detached shoals in this harbour are most difficult to see from a vessel, even at low water and with a good light. They were not visible from the masthead of H.M.S. “Espiègle” when entering the harbour, but were afterwards examined by boat, and found to be correctly placed on the plan. Their surface being the same colour as the water, they were not easy to see even when close to in a boat. There is no indication of them at low-water springs with a slight swell setting into the harbour.

Positions: From observations taken both on shore and afloat the north point of Tauche Island was found to be in lat. 6° 51′ N., and long. 158° 18′ E. (approximate). This position agrees nearly with that given by the French corvette “La Danaide,” and places Narmaur Island in long. 158° 8′ E. (approximate).

Current: An easterly current of about twenty miles a day was experienced between Ponapè and Nukuor, the weather being wet and the winds light and variable.

Nukuor (Monteverde Island).—There is only one passage into the lagoon, and that is on the south-east side. It is about 20 yards broad, and has been used by trading schooners. The tide runs strongly through it, the ebb forming a heavy race outside dangerous to boats.

Greenwich Islands.—These islands form an atoll of much the same character as Nukuor, having twenty-eight small islands on its eastern side, the western side being coral reef. There is an entrance for boats on the southern side about one mile to the westward of the western island. A vessel will be close to it when the extremes of the islands bear N. 7° E. and N. 82° E.

Breakers: The position of reported breakers in lat. 4° 18′ N., long. 136° 20′ E., was passed over by the “Espiègle,” but no signs of shoal water were seen in the vicinity. Three soundings were taken, each two miles apart in an east and west direction, and no bottom could be obtained with 50 fathoms of line. The weather was very fine and clear, and numerous observations were taken to verify the ship’s position; there was also sufficient swell to cause breakers had shoal water existed.

Eap or Yap Island: Tomil Harbour.—Sailing-vessels should not enter without a pilot. The services of Captains Halcomb or O’Keefe can be obtained by heaving-to outside. Very little remains of the piers off Rul Village, but the pier off Tomil is nearly completed and is a good landmark.

The highest point of the island is only 1,170 feet, the peak bearing S.W. by S. ½ S., two and a half miles from it, is 1,050 feet in height, and the land immediately to the north-westward of Rul attains a height of 439 feet.

It is high water, full and change, at 7 hours 15 minutes; springs rise 4 feet 6 inches.

Rock: A rock having only 12 feet water on it was reported to lie off the entrance to Tomil Harbour, about 5 cables E. ½ S. from Entrance Rock. Time, however, did not admit of the locality being examined.

Winds and Weather: The following information was gained from Captain Holcomb, a United States citizen, resident for several years at Yap, and a navigator in the neighbouring seas. Typhons and cyclonic storms are unknown in Yap. The north-east trade blows with tolerable freshness and steadiness from the beginning of October to the end of May. The south-west monsoon prevails during June, July, and August, but is frequently broken by short spells of easterly winds. Rain falls occasionally all the year round, but the rainy season is between the beginning of June and the beginning of September. The climate was described as being remarkably pleasant. Though hurricanes are unknown, strong south-west gales generally blow towards the close of the south-west monsoon season, late in August or September. This is also the season of very light winds, when sailing-vessels get about amongst the islands with difficulty.

Palao or Pelew Islands: Korrór Harbour.—When off Channel Point and passing the reef to the north-eastward of it, vessels should keep on the eastern side of the channel, this part carrying the deepest water, and the reef being steep-to, whereas on the west side of the reef is shelving. Leaving Korrór Harbour by this channel at half flood (neap tides) 5½ fathoms was the least sounding obtained.

The shoal situated 4 cables N.E. by N. from Channel Point cannot have more than 3 fathoms on it at low-water spring tides.

Tides.—In the narrow part of the channel south-east of Channel Point the tides set directly through, and outside it they attain considerable strength; the ebb tide was found running fully 3 knots an hour five days after new moon, and caused a considerable race for some distance off the entrance. To the north-eastward of Channel Point they set across the channel.

Passage from Korrór to Molegojok.—The “Espiègle” passed inside the reef north of Korrór Island, and anchored off the Villages of Ackashar and Molegojok, which are about fifteen miles distant from the entering channel to Korrór Harbour.

Molegojok may be easily recognized by a long stone pier extending nearly to the edge of the reef. Ackashar is about one and a half miles south of Molegojok.

The reefs are very imperfectly known and the coral heads inside them numerous, making the navigation in some places intricate. Some of these heads being exceedingly small, a vigilant look-out aloft is absolutely necessary.

Off Ackashar there is a narrow and intricate passage through the reef; and about four miles farther to the southward there is a good and safe opening. The island on the reef off the east coast of Baobeltaob placed in lat. 7° 29′ N. does not exist.

Eil Malk.—The reef eastward of Eil Malk extends nearly two miles farther east than shown on the chart; its extreme bears about S. by E. from Uruktapel Bluff.

Revolving storms, supposed to be the tail ends of typhoons, are said by white residents to occur in the Pelew Group at intervals of from ten to twelve years. They have been experienced as early as August, and may be encountered up to November.

Supplies: Taro but no yams, a few pigs and goats, may be purchased from the natives.

NEW IRELAND.

St. John Island.—From the south-eastward a distinct gap was seen, and there is little doubt that there are two separate islands; the southern and larger is about 450 feet high and the northern about 250. Towards the gap each island is very low, sloping gradually to an abrupt cliffy point at the gap.

Natives were seen on the northern island, but no canoes were observed.

Discoloured water was observed to extend about one and a half miles off the east side of the south island.

NEW HANOVER.

Portland Islands.—From astronomical observations on the 22nd and 23rd July, 1883, as well as from cross-bearings