462 THE CONTINENTAL ORIGIN OF FIJI, 



weeks in geologically exploring the largest island of the group, 

 VitiLevu. Through the valuable advice of the Hon. Dr. Corne}-, 

 Chief Medical Officer to the Fiji Government, I was enabled to 

 start work without waste of time. Dr. Corney has proved himself 

 to be an exceptionally keen and careful scientific observer. His 

 intimate knowledge of the country and the people was of the 

 utmost service to me. He sketched out the route which would 

 probably give the most valuable results, and thus enabled me to 

 attack the work without loss of time in preliminary trials. Any 

 success which I may have attained is due in no small measure to 

 his assistance. 



Owing to the limited time at my disposal nothing like a 

 detailed survey could be attempted, and the difficulties of even a 

 sketch survey were enormous. The work had to be carried out 

 during the University long vacation — that is, in January and 

 Februar}'-, during which months the climate in Fiji is at its very 

 worst, and is very enervating. The dense vegetation makes it 

 impossible to travel except along the regular tracks unless one 

 has a couple of men to cut a way through the jungle. The 

 tracks follow the river alluvials, fording the stream every mile 

 or two. Owing to the strong current the deeper fords are ver}^ 

 dangerous. The rainfall at Nadarivatu, near the water-parting 

 between the Rewa and Sigatoka Rivers, for January, February 

 and March, reached l-iT inches. This caused heav}' floods in 

 both rivers, which involved the loss of a great deal of time, and 

 rendered many interesting and important sections inaccessible. 

 My resources did not permit me to engage sufficient porters for the 

 transport of provisions, so that I was compelled to rely mainly 

 on native food, a thing which tells against a European doing 

 heavy work in the tropics. I was still further hampered by the 

 desertion of m}^ interpreter three days out of Suva. 



Good geological sections accessible in the time at my disposal 

 were comparatively rare. 



Starting from Suva, I struck across country to the Rewa at 

 Nausori, and followed the river up to Nacokaika, where I left the 

 main stream and crossed the hills to the Waidina Yalley at Sovu. 



