PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION E. 563 
the ground is hot enough to enable the natives to cook their food, 
by burying it in the earth. On the small high islands of Lopevi 
and Paamu* there are active volcanos. In 1881 a submarine 
volcano broke forth near Traitor’s Head, Erromanga. 
In the Banks’ Islands, north of the New Hebrides, active 
volcanoes and hot springs and other igneous formations exist. 
(2).— EARTHQUAKES. 
The South Pacific islands are subject to frequent earthquakes, 
of more or less magnitude. The oscillations are sometimes very 
severe, but more generally of slight character. Earthquakes are 
not confined to the volcanic islands, but are experienced also on 
islands of coral formation, which have a volcanic base. The 
seismic wave is seldom vertical, but chiefly horizontal, generally 
(as far as can be perceived) from north-east to south-west. I have 
only on one occasion remarked any rumbling sound or other 
accompanying noise often noticed in many volcanic regions. 
Where active volcanoes exist the shocks are often accompanied 
or followed by an increased outburst of the voleano. There is no 
active volcano now in the Samoan Group, though earthquakes are 
very frequent. As before remarked, at the early part of the 
present century there existed a volcano on the northern island of 
Savail, which occasionally became eruptive. There are several 
extinct craters in the mountains of Upolu and Tutuila as well as 
on Savaii. 
The testimony of the old natives is that the shocks of earth- 
quakes were much more severe in olden times. The reason 
assigned for the present change was that the god of volcanoes 
and earthquakes, named Mafuié, had his arm broken in a contest 
with a young warrior, since which time he has been able to shake 
the earth with one arm only, and hence the shocks are compara- 
tively light. It may be interesting to the lovers of folk-lore to 
know the legend as related. It denotes also how the connection 
of volcanic actions and earthquakes is associated in the minds of 
the natives. The legend states that a certain chief and warrior, 
named Talanga, was a favourite of the god Mafuié, the Samoan 
Vulcan. This god’s abode was in the crater ofa volcano. Talanga 
was admitted to the regions of Mafuié, and here he worked a 
valuable plantation of taro (arum esculentum), whence Talanga 
would take home to his family very choice taro, which excited not 
only the admiration of his family, but also their curiosity to know 
whence it came. His son, Tiitii, determined to find out the 
secret, and one day stole quietly after his father when he went to 
the plantation. He saw him ascend a mountain until he came 
to a great rock, which seemed to stop further advance; but 
* Between Ambrym and Api. 
ca 
