[Note: this transcription was produced by an automatic OCR engine]

NOUMEA AND PORT VILA 2 5

[t was a dull morning when we left Vila on board
the French Government yacht. In days gone by she
had been an elegant racing-boat, but was now some-
what decayed and none too clean ; however, she had
been equipped with a motor, so that we were inde-
pendent of the wind.

Besides the Resident and myself there were on
board the French judge, the POLICE commissioner, and
a crew of boys from the Loyalty Islands near New
Caledonia. These are excellent sailors and are
employed in Vila as French POLICEmen. They are
very strong and lively and great fighters, and would
be perfect material for a POLICE force were they not
such. confirmed drunkards. Because of this defect
they all had to be dismissed soon afterwards and
sent back to their own country, as in Vila, instead of
arresting drunken natives, they had generally been
drunk themselves and were often fighting in the
streets. But on board ship, where they had no
opportunity to get drunk, they were very Willing and
always cheerful and ready for sport of any kind.

We did not travel far that first day, but stopped
after a fewhours’ sail in Port Havannah, north of
the Bay of Mele. This port would be one of the
best harbours in the group, as it is almost entirely
landlocked; only, the water is so deep that small
craft cannot anchor. Yet it would be preferable to
Port Vila, as the climate is much better, Vila being
one of the hottest, stuffiest and rainiest spots in
the group, and its harbour is becoming too small
for the increased traffic of the last few years. Port