PRESIDENTS ADDRESS. 459 
The islands are all mountainous, intersected with deep 
valleys shewing marks of denudation from heavy rainfalls . 
and the action of mountain torrents. This is more 
especially noticeable in the island of Upolu. The coast- 
line is principally composed of volcanic cliffs, steep too, and 
with very few places on which landing may be safely 
effected from boats. The principal exceptions to this are 
on Upolu, from a point a few miles to the eastward of 
Apia, on the north coast to Falelatai, on the S.W. coast, 
a distance of about 5V miles, and from Salelologa, on the 
N.E. coast of Savaii, to Amoa, on the N.W. coast. Then 
there is a stretch of voicanic cliffs for about 20 miles (see 
photo.) to Lealatele, where the fringing reef again begins, 
and continues to Sasina, on the same coast, for about 12 
miles. These parts of the coast are all protected by fringe. 
reefs at distances varying from } mile to 14 or 2 miles from 
the shore. The country inland from these reef-protected 
areas is much more level and less broken than it is inland 
of the ironbound coast. I think it not at all unlikely that 
the islands were at one time surrounded by reefs, which 
have been in many places filled up by lava, and that those 
places where the fringing reefs still remain were out of 
the line of the lava streams, and so escaped. This is in 
some measure confirmed by the native traditions. For 
example, at Tufu, on the south coast of Savaii, there is a 
proverb in almost daily use to express astonishment at 
any sudden or unexpected change—‘‘ Maupenei went away 
and left a taifofola (lagoon), and came back and found a 
tai pupu (ironbound) coast in its place.” This evidently 
refers to an actual occurrence, as inland of the volcanic 
cliffs which now form the coast is a water-course, and some 
flat swampy ground, from which large quantities of brain 
coral (puga) are dug up and used by the natives for mak- 
ing lime. This is interesting as a typical instance of the 
way in which the physical features of the surface have been 
altered by volcanic action. 
The interior of the large island of Savaii is very rough, 
and is composed principally of scoria. There is a lake in 
the centre called Matau Lano, which [ visited, and a 
similar one is found also in Upolu. The soil, composed 
principally of decayed vegetable matter, is very fertile, 
and in most places the scoria is covered with tropical 
vegetation. . 
TONGA. 
Tonga is a fine group lying between the parallels of 15° 
and 23° 30'S. Lat., and the meridians of 173° and 171° 
