ANDREWS: LIMESTONES OF THE FIJI ISLANDS. 11 



REPORT OF E. C. ANDREWS. 



Introduction. 



I left Sydney, New South Wales, on Wednesday, June 1, 1898, arriv- 

 ing in Suva on the 10th of June. Some few days elapsed before I could 

 get away from Suva for the Singatoka River, owing to the absence of 

 suitable cutters. During that time I examined the area around Walu 

 Bay, and searched the shore west of the islands of Lambikoof Vao for 

 calcareous rocks while tools and requisites for blasting purposes were 

 prepared. 



A Tavua cutter was chartered through the kindness of Captains 

 Calder and Woolley of Suva, and a rapid glance taken at the Singatoka 

 River limestone, including also a visit to the famous dolomitic cliffs, thirty 

 miles up the river. Returning from Singatoka to Suva, a Kandavu 

 cutter was chartered for work in the Lau Group. While the cutter 

 made the direct passage to Mango, I took passage in the S. S. " Maori " 

 and a Taviuni cutter to the same island, calling and making rough notes 

 en route on the islands of Ovalau and Taviuni. Arriving at Mango, we 

 had to wait for the cutter, which occupied some fourteen days in the 

 passage to windward. 



Three weeks were taken up altogether in exploring Mango and ex- 

 amining its cliffs. From Mango our course was laid to Munia and to 

 Loma Loma, and from thence we coasted along the eastern shore of 

 Vanua Mbalavu with the intention of visiting Mba Vatu and Ngillangillah. 

 Two weeks were spent in examination of the cliffs at this locality. 



The section of North Ngillangillah being completed, we revisited 

 Loma Loma and Munia and scaled the principal heights. Thence a 

 dead beat was made to Tuvutha and the ascent of that island effected, 

 and then we continued on our way to Lakemba. The local cave was 

 explored. We then steered for Kambara, and spent part of two days 

 examining the same, and our course was laid to Totoya and hence to 

 Vatu Leile via the Solo Light on Kandavu, where the raised coral reefs 

 were examined. From Vatu Leile we made for Thuvu, and another visit 

 was paid to the limestone cliffs, and a brief examination made of the 

 recently upraised reef skirting the Thuvu-Singatoka sea-beach. 



