ROUGH PLAN OF PORT ST. PATRICK ISLAND OF ANNATOM, NEW HEBRIDES. SKETCH OF SOUTH-WEST BAY ISLAND OF ANNATOM, NEW HEBRIDES. Port St. Patrick is situated in latitude 20° 8′ south, and on the north part of the island it is of small size, but capable of containing five or six moderate-sized vessels. The directions for a vessel's entering are, to bring a large valley near the centre of the island to bear about S.S.W. which will take her near the entrance, where is a reef that must be rounded as close as possible; and if the wind is far southerly, she must be prepared to luff round and anchor, then warp in between the reefs through the narrow entrance. The bearings when at anchor are as follows:-Island of Tanna, N.W. W.; Erronan Island, N. by E. E.; West end of Annatom, W. by S. S.; East end of Annatom, E.S.E.; Entrance, N.E. by N. About two miles to leeward of Port St. Patrick is another small harbour, having a reef outside: this is considered preferable to the other. On the south-west side of the island there is a fine bay open to the south-west, near two small islands, having a passage with deep water between the islands and the main, with a reef in mid-channel. This island is mountainous, clothed with verdure, has a very fertile appearance, and is inhabited by a race similar to that of the neighbouring island of Tanna. The part of the island visited by the Alpha brig, was named Kiamu by the natives; and induced many to suppose this to be the name of the whole island, but it proved to be only the name of a particular district. It is correctly observed in a recent work on the Polynesian Islands, that "it not unfrequently occurs, that transient visitors mistake the name of the bay in which their ships anchor, or the opposite district, for that of the whole island." Capt. Lawler and Lieut. Cole landed, and were received in a friendly manner by the natives, who accompanied them readily up the country, and provision of yams, breadfruit, coco-nuts, fowls, &c. were brought off to the ship for sale. The sandal wood-tree (santalum) was found growing in great abundance, and they succeeded (by aid of some natives of Rótuma and Tahiti, that were on board the vessel,) in cutting some quantity of this valuable scented wood, in which they were also readily assisted by the natives of the island, for which service presents were made to them. The friendly disposition of the natives manifested itself for several days, and a profitable speculation in sandal wood was anticipated by the parties engaged, but from some cause (supposed to have originated in a Rótuma native belonging to the gang taking some sugar cane from a plantation,) during the time the gang of natives of Rotuma and Tahiti were one morning at breakfast, they were attacked by the natives with showers of spears, which wounded several, and two in so severe a manner as to occasion their deaths soon after; some of the wounded were seen waving to the vessel, and the Captain, who was not previously aware of the treacherous attack of the natives, sent the boats which succeeded in bringing those who were disabled on board; several of these soon after came under my charge. The vessel finding her commercial object frustrated by this treacherous conduct of the natives, soon after quitted the island. The natives of this island differ somewhat in language, although in general characteristics they resemble those of Tanna; they twist their hair in the same manner by separating it into small locks, and winding round each the rind of a plant or a filament of the bark of a tree, to within an inch of the extremity, the winding being continued as the hair increases in length, gives to the entire head a very singular appearance. The women wear the hair cropped close. The men are naked excepting a wrapper, and the women wear around the waist strips of the plantain leaf, dried, and neatly fringed at the edges, reaching to about the knees. The following few specimens of the language will suffice for the present to convey some idea of its general character, the orthography of the whole being in this instance according to the English pronunciation. In numerals they only extend as far as five, thus: One, Tee. Two, Rou. Arm, Negmack. Hair, Ne, chenec. Three, Esheg. Four, Ouon. Five, Egman. Come, Narhes. Axe, Bash. The mode of burial among these people is conducted in the following manner. The corpse is carried on a mat by four men, before it another man walks, supposed to be the priest, carrying in his hand a Taro plant (Arum esculentum ;) they proceed thus to the sea-side, and enter the water until out of their depth, where they deposit the corpse, leave it and return with the mat; the man who precedes the corpse throws the Taro plant into the water, and the ceremony is concluded. · Vegetation is here very luxuriant, and vessels might obtain an abundant supply of yams, (which attain a large size, and will keep for a long time at sea,) bread-fruit, coco-nuts, sugar-cane, and plantains, with fowls, but few pigs; the European breed of pigs would be a valu able acquisition to the natives of this groupe, those they have being of small size, with very short legs. ISLAND OF IMMER, NEW HEBRIDES GROUPE. The Island of Immer is situated to the northward of Port Resolution, Island of Tanna, and, according to Captain Cook, "lies in the direction of N. by E. & E. four leagues from Port Resolution in Tanna; and the Island of Erronan, or Footoona East, in the same direction, distant eleven leagues." On the 25th of April (1830) we had a good view of this island, bearing N. E. N. by compass about eight miles distant; it appeared of a moderate height, flattened at the summit, and very woody, with here and there cliffs apparently of sand-stone. Lieut. Cole anchored nearly at the centre of the island with the brig Alpha and schooners Minerva and Snapper, in latitude 19° 14' south, in thirteen fathoms, rocky bottom, about three cables' lengths off shore. "It was necessary to look for a clear space," he observed," as to the N. W. of us were patches of coral rock, with only four fathoms water on them." This island is about six miles from north to south, with an arm from the northward stretching to the eastward. Mr. Kerr, midshipman of the ship Sophia, who was for a short time on board the schooner Snapper, landed on the island, and he gave me the following account of his reception. He went on shore in one of the native canoes and landed on the beach, where he found assembled a concourse of natives belonging to different tribes, all armed; those who had accompanied him in the canoe conducted him to the tribe to which they belonged, who led him to their district, they often made signs to him if he desired to have a coco-nut, and if he expressed a wish for one as a refreshment it was immediately brought to him. During the journey they passed other tribes, among whom he threw some beads; at first they manifested symptoms of fear and ran away, but soon returned, picked up the beads, and gave a shout of joy when they perceived what they were. The women displayed great terror and disappeared on his approach. His liberality in distributing beads among the tribes they passed gave offence to that with whom he was in company, who, perhaps, conceiving it was done to gain the friendship of the other tribes, gave him to understand by friendly signs, that if any other tribe • Cook's Voyages, vol. ii. 4to. edition, page 100. attempted to take him away or molest him they would fight them. On arriving at the district of this party, which he supposes to be about five or six miles distant from the place at which he landed, he accompanied them into one of their huts, (these habitations were of a miserable construction, being mere sheds) they caused him to sit down, and first bringing him some cooked yams, &c. the chief presented him with a young pig, and each individual who had accompanied him brought a present some of yams, others of coco-nuts, plantains, &c. After remaining with them about an hour, he made signs of his desire to return; the same party accompanied him, each carrying his own present. They were armed both going and returning, but on entering their huts the weapons were laid aside. Their weapons were principally long spears, but few bows and arrows were seen amongst them. Having arrived at the beach where he first landed, the canoe in which he came from the vessel was hauled up on the beach; they made signs for him to enter, and then placing in it all the presents, they launched it into the water and conveyed him on board the schooner. He made presents of knives, beads, &c. to those who came off in the canoe with him, at which they expressed much satisfaction. They seemed highly to value, as at other islands of the group, tortoiseshell and whale's teeth. The land is of but moderate elevation, densely wooded, abounding in coco-nut trees, and numerous others of large growth; the natives were tardy in bringing off provisions to the ships, they would bring off but one or two yams at a time, endeavouring to get a high price for each, and were "hard bargainers;" they would only offer one yam at a time, concealing the other in the bottom of the canoe until the first was sold. Pigs seemed to be highly prized; none were brought off for sale; the small ones which were procured were presented by the chiefs to those who went on shore. The pieces of iron hoop which had been procured from the vessels were seen hung round the necks of the natives by a string through a hole bored at one end, the other being sharpened like a chisel. Three other Europeans, who afterwards went on shore from the schooner, were also treated very kindly. These were, probably, the first that ever landed on this island; and the estimation in which the natives held them as a superior race may account, in some degree, for the kind treatment they experienced; but due caution is at all times necessary, for when they become accustomed to the sight of Europeans their savage character developes itself, in which treachery will be found to predominate; an instance of this kind was experienced by a party (as I have before mentioned) at the Island of Annatom. Frequent attacks have been suddenly made on Europeans, and their vessels cut off, when the natives but a short time previously had expressed the most friendly intentions. Capt. Cook named that groupe of islands the Friendly, where the natives had planned the capture of his vessel, and would have carried it into execution but for some disagreements among the chiefs respecting the mode of attack and the division of the plunder; his unexpected departure, ignorant of their friendly intentions, frustrated their plans. Sometimes the cause can be traced to the injudicious conduct of strangers, but more often in the temptations to plunder. Europeans, therefore, cannot be too guarded in their intercourse with the natives of these islands. AN ACCOUNT OF THE MAURITIUS. BY A BRITISH OFFICER. 66 I WILL endeavour to give you some little account of this Ebony Isle." It is of an oval shape and about 148 miles in circumference, with many beautiful mountains and some very fine rivers. The principal town is Port Louis, which has a good harbour, where I have seen from 80 to 100 ships lying at a time, there being a very great trade carried on in consequence of a population of 100,000 souls and the vast quantity of sugar made. The last crop of the latter produced 80,000,000 pounds weight, and as the consumption here is computed only at about 7,331,919, there was exported 72,668,081, the greatest part of which went to England, and therefore poured in an immense revenue to the mother country, as well as giving employment to numerous ships, which, however, are just now badly paid, the freights being very low. The price of sugar here is not more than 20s. per cwt. for the best quality, which does not now remunerate the planter, as his expenses are becoming every day more heavy in consequence of their slaves diminishing and the necessity of employing mules, which are brought here from part of South America, Buenos Ayres, and France, and which cost from 80l. to 100l. each. The want of slaves induced many of the planters to send for Chinese free labourers, and several hundreds were imported at a great expense; but unfortunately they did not answer, and were obliged to be reshipped for their native country again at the charge of those who sent for them. Bullocks are also used for bringing the canes from the plantation: they are mostly brought from Madagascar, which lies about 450 miles east of this little spot, to which island we have eight or nine ships constantly trading for those animals, which are bought there for about 21. and sold here for 127. or 147. but on landing they are generally thin and require to be fattened, when they fetch 201. or 251; at best, our beef is very bad, and although at tenpence per pound, it is always disposed of in the Bazaar, where every thing is sold early in the morning, fish, flesh, fowls, vegetables, &c. &c. and unless you go there betimes, your dinner will suffer, as by nine o'clock nothing is left, the heat being so great sometimes that even, in this case, it becomes disagreeable. Our horses we get from the Cape of Good Hope, and also from Timor; those from the former place sell here from 60l. to 100%.— from the latter place (they being ponies) sell from 51. to 20l. as they are generally in most dreadful condition on reaching this island: the plan is to land and sell them by auction immediately, as frequently numbers die soon after, and it is said the average number of deaths among horses and mules is four per diem throughout the island. The town of Port Louis is very extensive, and there are many fine streets with abundance of shops-the people who keep them calculate on retiring with a fortune in five years-therefore you will fancy what must be their prices and also their profits. The former are scarcely ever stationary, as it entirely depends upon the supplies: for instance, rice (which all comes from India) is at 18s. a bag, which a few months ago was 13s.; gram, with which the horses are fed (a kind of grain like small beans, which also comes from India) is now 17. 4s. which was 12s. the bag, owing to the short supply. All articles of consumption in like |