{282 hemarks and oMnions. 



volcanic crater, now closed, and which, like tile 

 external declivity, is thickly overgro\Vn with grass. 

 A similar, but higher and larger crater, which 

 forms a promontory, washed by the sea, bounds 

 the prospect to the east. Pretended diamonds,- 

 which an European is said to have found in these 

 parts, gave occasion to the taboo, which has been 

 imposed upon this mountain. We were shown as 

 such common quartz crystals. 



The mountain-chain rises behind these naked 

 front hills, covered with a lovely verdure in irre- 

 gular steps to its highest ridge, which runs along; 

 the northern coast. Valleys and defiles lead to 

 the passes whicli intersect each other between the 

 summits. The valley of Nuanu, behind Hana-rura, 

 is the most extensive and pleasant of all. Beyond,- 

 towards the north or north-east, the mountain pre- 

 sents a steep declivity, which cannot be ascended^ 

 except barefooted, by giddy paths and tocky 

 ascents. 



Low hills, covered with sun-burnt savannahs, 

 unite the two mountain-masses of the islands. To 

 the soutli of these hills, the inlet of the sea, called 

 by the English the Pearl River, winds with nu- 

 merous branches up to their foot, through an ex- 

 tensive j)lain, which is a coral reef abandoned by 

 the sea, the surface of which is raised about ten 

 feet above the present level of the ocean. This 

 frith appears to afford the finest harbour ; it is, 

 however, said, that a bank obstructs the entraiiee 



