1840.] GEOLOGY. 333 



imbosomed in its pleasant grove of tropical fruit-trees. Kan- 

 tavu has merely a harbor formed by the coral reefs. Near 

 the centre of the island is Malatta Bay, whose shores are 

 bordered with an abundant growth of pine timber, which is 

 highly esteemed for masts and spars ; and most of the large 

 canoes in the group are built here. There are upwards of 

 forty towns on the island, containing, altogether, from twelve 

 to fifteen thousand inhabitants. There are many snug bays 

 in the Assua Group, upon which, on the steep and precipitous 

 bluffs, are situated most of their little villages or towns. 



The largest town and best harbor on Nairai is Toaloa, at 

 the north end of the island. Vuna has a very good harbor at 

 Somu-Somu, on its western shore. The town of the same 

 name, which is a missionary station, is divided into two 

 parts ; one lying on the beach, and the other on the bluffs 

 above, nearly screened from view by the thick foliage of the 

 numerous bread-fruits, cocoas, palms, and bananas. There 

 are no very important harbors in the Eastern Group. On the 

 south side of Lakemba there is a slight indentation, in front 

 of which is a coral reef, but there is not sufficient depth of 

 water for a vessel of over one or two hundred tons burden. 

 Situate on the harbor is a small town containing six hundred 

 inhabitants, which can likewise boast of a church and a mis- 

 sion house. The former is eighty feet long by thirty-two feet 

 wide, twenty-five feet high, and well carpeted with mats. 



(3.) Evidences of the volcanic origin of this group are so 

 abundant and so general, that it is hardly necessary to refer 

 to them in detail. There are a number of tall, sharp-pointed, 

 conical hills, of basaltic formation, which at no very remote 

 age were the craters of active volcanoes, although no running 

 streams of lava have been discovered, and the only indica- 

 tions of volcanic heat are at the hot springs of Savu-Savu- 

 The islets of the eastern group are mostly composed of scoria- 

 ceous materials. There are extensive beds of ferruginous 

 marl on the island of Ovolau*, above which are masses of black 

 lava and pudding stone, and- lofty blocks of basalt. Volcanic 

 conglomerate, scoria, agglutinated basalt or tufa, porphyritic 



