Vanikoro was the next stage.  This too had its history, encircled as it is with a complete reef of coral, in some parts double.  In the year 1785, two French vessels, which were commanded by Count La Perouse, and named ‘La Boussole’ and ‘L’Astrolabe,’ had set forth from Brest on a voyage of discovery in the Pacific.  They made a most discursive survey of that ocean, from Kamtschatka southwards, and at the end of 1787 were at the Samoan Isles, then unconverted, and where their two boats’ crews were massacred, and the boats lost.  The ships came to Port Jackson, in Australia, to build fresh boats, left it in February 1788, and were never heard of more.  One or two attempts were made to ascertain their fate, but none succeeded till, in 1826, a sandal-wood trader named Dillon found in the possession of a European, who had lived since 1813 in Ticopia, the silver guard of a sword, and ascertained from him that the natives had several articles, such as china, glass, and the handle of a silver fork, which evidently came from a ship.  He had been told that these articles had been procured from another isle called Vanikoro, where two large ships had been wrecked.

His intelligence led to the fitting out of a vessel, in which he was sent to ascertain the fate of the Frenchmen, and by the help of the man who had been so long in Ticopia, he was able to examine a Vanikoran chief.  It appeared that the two ships had run aground on the parallel reefs.  One had sunk at once, and the crew while swimming out had been some of them eaten by the sharks, and others killed by the natives; indeed, there were sixty European skulls in a temple.  The other vessel had drifted over the reef, and the crew entrenched themselves on shore, while building another vessel.  They went out and foraged for themselves in the taro fields, but they made no friends; they were ship-spirits, with noses two hands long before their faces (their cocked hats).  Articles were recovered that placed the fact beyond a doubt, and which were recognised by one of the expedition who had left it in Kamtschatka, the sole survivor.  Of the fate of the two-masted vessel built by the shipwrecked crew, nothing was ever discovered.

The Mission party landed here, but saw nobody.  They sent a black boy up a tree for cocoa-nuts, and left a tomahawk beneath it as payment.  That there were inhabitants somewhere there was horrible proof, for a frightful odour led to search being made, and the New Zealander Hoari turning up the ground, found human bones with flesh hanging to them.  A little farther off was a native oven, namely, a pit lined with stones.

This was Patteson’s nearest contact with cannibalism, and it left a deep impression of horror.

The Banks group of islands came next—­Great Banks Isle, or in the native language Vanua Lava, Valua or Saddle Isle, a long narrow ridge of hills, Mota or Sugarloaf Island, an equally descriptive name; Star Island, and Santa Maria.  These places were to become of great importance to the Mission, but little was seen of them at this time—­ the walls of coral round them were remarkably steep and difficult of access.